WASHINGTON — In a significant blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to exert federal control over the midterm elections, the Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling on Monday that prevents a controversial U.S. Postal Service (USPS) regulation concerning mail-in ballots from taking effect.
The court, in a 7-2 vote, rejected an emergency application filed by the administration, which sought to bypass a lower court ruling that deemed the regulation likely unlawful. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito were the only members of the court to dissent.
The disputed measure sought to impose new requirements on how states distribute and process mail-in ballots, forcing states to submit eligible voter lists to the Postal Service for verification. Additionally, the rule mandated that states comply with specific federal directions regarding envelope design. Traditionally, the USPS maintains no such oversight role in the administration of state-run elections.
Advocacy groups and state officials, led by California, had fiercely challenged the rule, arguing that its implementation just weeks before the midterm elections would cause widespread chaos and result in the disenfranchisement of millions of voters. With states like North Carolina already scheduled to begin sending out ballots on September 4, the court’s intervention effectively removes a looming logistical hurdle for election officials.
“Today’s decision is a victory for our democracy and a powerful affirmation of the rule of law,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters, echoed these sentiments, labeling the regulation “an extraordinary attempt to interfere with voting in all 50 states.”
The regulation stemmed from a March executive order signed by President Trump after he failed to move his “SAVE America Act” through Congress. The administration had downplayed the impact of the rule, characterizing the requirements as “modest design and information” standards. However, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who originally blocked the rule, warned of “significant disenfranchisement” and noted that the administration provided no credible evidence that the measure was necessary to combat election fraud—a frequent, though unsubstantiated, theme in the president’s public rhetoric.
In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh acknowledged that while there might be a “fair prospect” that the Postal Service holds the authority to issue such rules, the timing of the implementation made it untenable. “It is not enough to convince me,” Justice Alito wrote in his dissent, expressing frustration that the court had allowed the litigation to drag on so close to the election.
The White House did not immediately issue a statement following the ruling. As the case proceeds, Judge Talwani’s ruling remains in place: while states may choose to comply with the USPS standards voluntarily, they are under no legal obligation to do so, and the Postal Service is barred from refusing to deliver ballots that do not meet the new federal criteria.
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