The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request on Monday from the U.S. Postal Service to enforce a rule concerning mail-in ballots, marking a setback in President Donald Trump’s attempt to limit mail voting ahead of the midterm elections in November that will determine Congressional control. The decision came after a ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston blocked the Postal Service from implementing the measure while legal challenges by states and voting-rights groups are ongoing. The rule was introduced following a March executive order by Trump aimed at tightening regulations on mail voting.
In a one-paragraph order, the court stated that the government is unlikely to succeed in challenging the District Court’s preliminary injunction. Justice Samuel Alito, with support from Justice Clarence Thomas, dissented, likening some of the opposing claims to a “Hail Mary pass” in football terms, expressing skepticism about their success.
The new rule requires states to furnish lists of mail ballot recipients to the Postal Service and to use approved outgoing and return ballot envelopes with unique barcodes. The Postal Service could reject ballots that do not meet the new standards or are linked to voters not on the lists. Critics argue that this plan may disrupt the delivery of valid ballots as the November election nears, potentially causing chaos.
The administration claims the rule is essential to prevent voter fraud, despite little evidence supporting such claims. Trump’s history of questioning mail-in ballot security contrasts with his own frequent use of this method to vote. The Supreme Court was urged by the administration to permit the implementation of this rule to safeguard against potential voter fraud via the mail.
Various states, predominantly Democratic-led, along with Washington, D.C., and numerous voting rights groups, challenged the USPS rule. Judge Talwani’s injunction blocking the rule emphasized potential violations of the U.S. Constitution and the looming midterms, making compliance impractical. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols also opposed the rule, citing disenfranchisement risks and exceeding the Postal Service’s authority.
The battle over mail-in ballots is part of a broader effort by the administration to increase federal involvement in voting procedures prior to the upcoming midterms. The Supreme Court previously lifted an injunction in June imposed by Talwani, including Trump’s executive order and the USPS rule that was still in development.
