Trump administration asks Supreme Court to lift block on mail-ballot restrictions before midterms

President Trump's executive order required the U.S. Postal Service to use state-by-state lists of eligible voters who may send a ballot by mail.

Trump Admin Asks SCOTUS To Revive Mail-In Voting Order Ahead Of Midterms Authored by AG News Staff via American Greatness, The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to let the president's mail-in voting executive order take effect ahead of the midterms, after a federal appeals court sided with Democrat-led states seeking to keep it blocked just months before Election Day. Trump signed the order in March, directing the Postal Service to restrict delivery of mail-in ballots in states that refuse to hand over lists of eligible voters. It also orders the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to compile lists of verified absentee voters for the Postal Service to reference, and threatens to withhold federal funds from states that do not comply, part of a larger effort by the president to tighten a mail voting system he has long argued is vulnerable to abuse. A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the order in June, ruling that its timing made it impossible for the Postal Service to propose the rule through proper channels and would deny Congress its required chance to weigh in. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling Saturday, rejecting the administration's appeal and leaving the order blocked in the 23 states and Washington, D.C., that sued to stop it. In Monday's filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued the injunction improperly impedes the president's authority over the executive branch, noting the Postal Service falls within it despite its independent structure. Sauer warned that further delay could make the order impossible to implement in time for November even if the administration ultimately wins on appeal. "Every day that the agencies are unable to take steps to carry out the Executive Order as to the November 2026 election makes it less likely that they will, as a practical matter, be able to implement any lists or rules that they ultimately finalize, even if they obtain appellate relief," the filing states. The order is one piece of a larger push by Trump to overhaul election security, an effort that has repeatedly run into resistance from federal judges. Trump has also urged Congress to pass his SAVE America Act, which would restrict mail voting and require identification to cast a ballot, though the legislation has stalled on Capitol Hill despite mounting pressure from the president. Trump devoted a primetime address earlier this month to laying out his concerns about election interference, releasing declassified documents alongside the speech. Trump used the address to direct federal agencies to investigate a Michigan get-out-the-vote operation and to examine whether intelligence officials withheld information about Chinese efforts to influence the 2020 election. Tyler Durden Wed, 07/29/2026 - 08:05

In a blow to voters everywhere, a federal appeals court just made it easier for President Donald Trump to suppress mail-in voting. The midterms are two months away.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed a lower court’s decision Tuesday, arguing that a Democratic lawsuit challenging Trump’s mail-in voting executive order was premature. This result could have disastrous implications for the upcoming midterm elections: Not only does Trump’s executive order direct the Department of Homeland Security to create a national citizenship registry list, but it also orders the U.S. Postal Service to withhold mail-in ballots from states that don’t share voter registration data with the federal government.“Cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible, what’s gone on,” Trump said while signing the order in March. “Democrats want to use it for cheating.… I think this will help a lot with elections.”In reality, mail-in voting is proven to be a secure and reliable method used by hundreds of thousands of voters across the political spectrum. The president himself has voted by mail in recent elections—but it’s OK when he does it, he says, “because I’m president.”This new ruling from the D.C. Circuit comes only one day after Trump’s Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on the issue, calling the Democratic legal challenge “premature” and “hypothetical” because Trump’s executive order hasn’t yet been entirely implemented into DHS or USPS policy.The administration’s language is reflected in Tuesday’s D.C. circuit court ruling, which argues in favor of the Trump administration because the Democratic plaintiffs are concerned with “the lawfulness of proposed actions if implemented on the threshold of the upcoming federal election.” In other words, Trump’s executive order might be breaking the law, but the court isn’t comfortable saying so until it’s too late.“If the defendant agencies take steps to implement the Executive Order in a manner that violates federal law or the Constitution, Plaintiffs can promptly seek relief,” the decision says.Trump’s attack on mail-in voting goes hand in hand with the SAVE Act, a massive voter suppression bill Trump is trying to ram through the Senate this week. These increasingly desperate attempts to stop Americans from voting underscore the fact that the midterms aren’t looking so good for Republicans—and Trump likely knows he can’t win without cheating.

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to clear the way for an executive order from President Donald Trump that could dramatically change mail-in voting ahead of November’s midterm elections.The Justice Department asked the justices to halt for now lower court decisions blocking the sweeping changes in nearly half the country.The request comes shortly after Trump delivered a primetime address elevating his yearslong push to raise doubts about the legitimacy of elections, and could be one of several voting-related challenges before the court ahead of the high-stakes midterm contest.Trump ordered the government in March to create a “state citizenship list” of eligible voters and deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia sued, saying the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, not the president. Their attorneys have said Trump’s proposed changes are ripe for abuse and could cause chaos.A judge in Massachusetts blocked the executive order for the plaintiff states, and a divided 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel left her ruling in place over the weekend.The executive order calls for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration to send state officials federal citizenship lists to determine eligible voters. It tells the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to people on the lists.The order also calls for ballots to have secure envelopes with unique barcodes for tracking. Federal funding could be withheld from states and localities that don’t comply.The appeal argues that Trump’s order lays out “general policy guidance” and doesn’t directly dictate how states run their elections. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the high court to freeze the judge’s order as lawsuits play out, calling it indefensible.“And the injunction is especially indefensible because the agencies are still deliberating over how (if at all) to implement the Order, yet the district court preemptively decided that whatever the agencies may choose to do will necessarily be unlawful,” Sauer wrote.He urged the high court to move quickly, arguing that any new policies would have to be in place as soon as August to be effective for the November elections. A response to the appeal is due Aug. 3.Mail balloting has long been a favorite target for Trump, even as he has used the method to cast his own votes. He has blamed it for his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and has claimed without evidence that it opens the door to fraud. He returned to that theme Monday during an appearance at a General Motors facility in Michigan as he was making an appeal for Congress to pass his voter ID and proof-of-citizenship bill.“And hopefully there will be no mail-in ballots,” he said, calling them ‘inherently corrupt.”Using mail ballots has become increasingly popular with voters of both parties, with about 30% of all ballots cast that way during the 2024 presidential election, according to federal data. The process also is secure. A 2025 Brookings Institution study found only about four cases of fraud out of every 10 million mail ballots cast.The Supreme Court has ruled against the Trump administration before on mail-in ballots, finding in June that states can count ballots that arrive after Election Day.Trump has promoted the proposed changes in his executive order as safeguards to keep non-U.S. citizens from voting. He’s also repeatedly pressed for the passage of the legislation that requires proof of citizenship to vote.Noncitizen voting has been shown to be rare, and is a felony that can be punishable by deportation.U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, agreed in June to halt implementation for the Nov. 3 elections.Her ruling differed from that of another federal judge based in Washington. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was appointed by Trump, found in May that it was too early to block the order because it had not yet been implemented.The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the lawsuit for the states, did not immediately comment on the Trump administration’s appeal. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office declined to comment.The Postal Service also would not discuss its plans regarding implementing Trump’s order or its rule, citing the ongoing litigation. In Kansas, Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s office said it has not heard from the Postal Service about plans going forward. Associated Press writer John Hanna contributed to this story. —Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to allow President Donald Trump's executive order on mail-in voting to take effect ahead of the November midterm elections.The Justice Department on Monday requested the court to temporarily halt lower court rulings that blocked the order in nearly half the country. The appeal comes days after Trump renewed his claims about election integrity during a primetime address and could be one of several voting-related cases before the court ahead of the midterm elections.Trump's March executive order directed the government to create a "state citizenship list" of eligible voters and ensure that mail ballots are delivered only to people included on that list.Legal challenge centres on election authorityDemocratic officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia challenged the order, arguing that the Constitution gives states and Congress, not the president, the authority to set election rules. They have also argued that the proposed changes could be abused and create confusion.A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the order for the plaintiff states, and a divided panel of the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals allowed that ruling to remain in effect.The executive order directs US Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration to provide federal citizenship lists to state officials to identify eligible voters. It also instructs the US Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to people on those lists, requires ballots to be issued in secure envelopes with unique tracking barcodes, and allows federal funding to be withheld from states and local authorities that do not comply.Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the executive order provides "general policy guidance" and does not directly dictate how states conduct elections. Seeking an immediate stay of the lower court's ruling, Sauer wrote, "And the injunction is especially indefensible because the agencies are still deliberating over how (if at all) to implement the Order, yet the district court preemptively decided that whatever the agencies may choose to do will necessarily be unlawful."He also urged the Supreme Court to act quickly, saying any new policies would need to be implemented as early as August to be effective for the November elections. Responses to the appeal are due by Aug 3.Mail-in voting remains political flashpointMail-in voting has remained a frequent target of Trump, despite his own use of the voting method. He has repeatedly alleged, without evidence, that it contributed to his 2020 election defeat and increases the risk of fraud.Speaking at a General Motors facility in Michigan on Monday while urging Congress to pass his voter ID and proof-of-citizenship bill, Trump said, "And hopefully there will be no mail-in ballots," calling them "inherently corrupt."Federal data shows that about 30% of ballots cast in the 2024 presidential election were submitted by mail. A 2025 Brookings Institution study found only about four cases of fraud for every 10 million mail ballots cast.Parliament Panel Summons Meta, Google, X And Snapchat To Discuss Social Media RegulationThe Supreme Court previously ruled against the Trump administration in June, holding that states could count mail ballots received after Election Day.Trump has defended the executive order as a measure to prevent non-US citizens from voting, while continuing to advocate legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. However, noncitizen voting has been found to be rare and is already a felony punishable by deportation.US District Court Judge Indira Talwani in Boston blocked implementation of the order for the Nov 3 elections in June, while US District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington had earlier ruled that it was premature to block the order because it had not yet been implemented.The offices of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the lawsuit, and New York Attorney General Letitia James declined to comment on the appeal. The US Postal Service also declined to discuss its plans, citing ongoing litigation, while Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab's office said it had not received any communication from the Postal Service regarding the order.

The President has pushed to remake U.S. elections ahead of the November midterms, where Republican control of Congress is at stake.