Trump asks Supreme Court third time to limit mail ballots as first ones go out

September 6, 2026 at 08:29 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The Trump administration on Sunday renewed its Supreme Court appeal after a federal judge blocked new mail ballot restrictions ahead of the midterms. The filing came as states began sending out mail ballots, leaving little time for changes. The appeal marks the third time the administration has asked the high court to intervene.

Key Facts

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended an order blocking the Postal Service from enforcing President Trump's executive order on mail ballots for the November elections.
Solicitor General John Sauer said ballots have already been mailed in North Carolina, and Alabama will begin mailing on September 9, with at least five more states the week of September 13.
The appeal marks the third time the administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the mail ballot dispute.
Nearly one-third of U.S. voters cast mail ballots, and control of Congress is at stake in this year's elections.

Legal Battle

The Trump administration on Sunday renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court after U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended an order against the Postal Service enforcing President Donald Trump's executive order for the November elections. The filing came even as states started sending out mail ballots, leaving the administration little time to make big changes in mail ballot rules. Solicitor General John Sauer said in the filing that ballots have already begun to be mailed in North Carolina, and more states will begin the mailing process as the injunction remains in place, including Alabama on September 9 and at least five states the week of September 13. Sauer argued that once ballot envelopes enter the mailstream, there is no retrieving them, and each day the injunction is in place risks sowing confusion and chaos because it makes preparatory steps voluntary rather than mandatory.

Election Impact

The battle could have major ramifications for this year's elections, when control of Congress is at stake. Nearly one-third of voters in the U.S. cast mail ballots. Democratic states and voting rights groups say the changes are unconstitutional, while election officials contend there isn't enough time to revise their systems to comply with the new Postal Service directives. The Trump administration has framed the restrictions as commonsense changes within its power to regulate the mail.

Trump's Position

Trump has long sought to limit mail voting, even though he himself often uses that method to cast his own ballot. He has falsely blamed mail balloting for his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, spreading baseless claims of fraud. So far, he has been unable to change the longstanding voting procedure.