Key facts
- The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to enforce new restrictions on mail-in ballots.
- The ruling lifts a judge's injunction that had blocked the order in 23 states and the District of Columbia.
- President Donald Trump criticized the Supreme Court justices he appointed following the ruling.
- Election officials are confident Trump's efforts will not disrupt the November midterm elections.
- Trump's proposed regulation would have required voter-specific data and tracked mail-ballot envelopes.
- Approximately 32% of the electorate voted by mail in the 2024 presidential election.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to enforce new restrictions on mail-in ballots, lifting a judge's injunction that had blocked the order in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The majority opinion stated that it was too soon for courts to consider the states' challenge as the order had not yet been fully implemented.
President Donald Trump criticized the Supreme Court justices he appointed after the ruling, calling mail-in voting a "totally CORRUPT and out of control Mail-in voting 'disaster.'" His proposed regulation would have required states to provide voter-specific data and use Postal Service-approved mail-ballot envelopes, which election officials stated was not feasible to implement before ballots started going out.
Election officials from both parties expressed confidence that Trump's efforts would not disrupt the upcoming midterm elections. Cisco Aguilar, Nevada's top election official, stated that Trump's intent was to "build doubt" and "create chaos." He added that postal workers are "on our side" and that Nevada officials plan public service announcements to educate voters.
In Wisconsin, election officials have encouraged voters to mail their ballots back sooner due to concerns about late arrivals. Ann Jacobs, a member of the Wisconsin elections commission, noted that the proposed rule was "absolutely cockamamie." Meagan Wolfe, administrator of the Wisconsin elections commission, advised voters to mail ballots at least two weeks before the election and to check for alternative return options.
In Washington state, where over 20,000 votes were rejected in the August primary for arriving late, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs urged voters to use drop-boxes despite the court victory. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the administration's actions "intentionally damaging to the entire elections administration process" and said officials have been working hard to counter the administration's efforts to drive voters away from elections.