US Supreme Court Rejects Trump Bid To Restrict Mail Ballots Ahead Of November Midterm Elections

(MENAFN- Live Mint) In a major setback for President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Monday rejected his bid to restrict mail ballots ahead of the November midterm elections, Associated Press reported.

The decision came amid a series of last-minute legal challenges over President Trump's proposed restrictions. Trump has opposed mail voting and has also blamed the method for his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden.

Mail ballots have accounted for nearly a third of votes cast in the US, according to the AP report.

While the Supreme Court's majority did not explain its reasoning, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas publicly dissented from the brief order.

What was Trump's mail ballot plan?

The Trump administration had asked the Supreme Court to allow restrictions requiring states to adopt a uniform envelope style and submit lists of eligible voters to an online portal.

Under the plan, the Postal Service could refuse to deliver ballots from states that did not comply.

The administration argued that federal control over the Postal Service gave it the authority to set rules for handling mail ballots and that states could comply with the requirements.

However, a whistleblower report said the Postal Service requirements could result in millions of mail ballots not being sent because the online portal was not properly built. It also warned that a single barcode error could result in an entire batch of ballots being discarded.

Also Read | US midterm elections: Trump's advisor Jared Kushner meets Democrat Jeffries Election officials warn of disruption

Election officials had argued that there was not enough time to implement a complete overhaul of mail ballot procedures before the midterms.

Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin had already begun sending mail ballots to voters over the previous week while the proposed new system was not yet active.

The restrictions could have had a particularly significant impact in Washington and Oregon, where ballots are sent entirely by mail.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said election workers could continue preparing for the election without having to change existing processes to meet what he described as "unrealistic ballot mail requirements".

Also Read | US elections: Meet 12 lawmakers who've lost primaries Justices divided over Trump's restrictions

Justice Alito, in his dissent, said the Postal Service "has broad authority to regulate the mail" and likely had the power to enforce Trump's proposed restrictions.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that the restrictions should not take effect for the midterms but indicated he could side with the Trump administration if the issue returns before the court later.

Democratic state officials and voting rights groups had challenged the restrictions, arguing that the president lacked the constitutional authority to impose election rules that could "virtually eliminate mail voting on the eve of a major election".

Lower courts blocked Trump's plan, including through a preliminary injunction issued by a judge nominated by the president.

The administration subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court. The justices had earlier issued a procedural ruling in favour of the federal government but did not decide the legality of the restrictions.

MENAFN14092026007365015876ID1111664671