US Supreme Court deals Trump blow; blocks mail ballot curbs for now

Washington: The US Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to impose new restrictions on mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, preventing a last-minute overhaul of voting procedures as states have already begun sending ballots to voters.

The order came as voting in the midterm elections had already begun, dealing a setback to the administration’s effort to secure court approval for the new rules before November’s elections. The case carries major implications because nearly one-third of US voters cast their ballots by mail.

Under the administration’s proposed system, every state would have been required to submit voter lists through an online portal. The US Postal Service would also have been empowered to withhold ballots from states that failed to comply with the requirements.

The proposed changes raised concerns over widespread disruption, particularly with only weeks remaining before the new system was due to take effect. Election officials had warned that a complete procedural overhaul at such short notice was impractical. Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin had already begun mailing ballots to voters last week.

Reports also highlighted technical risks, including an online portal that was not fully operational and the possibility that even a minor barcode error could affect entire batches of ballots. Such problems could potentially disrupt the delivery of millions of mail ballots.

Several organisations and others challenged the administration’s move in court, arguing that the president lacked constitutional authority to restrict mail voting so close to an election. Lower courts subsequently issued preliminary blocks on the order.

The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court, maintaining that federal control over the Postal Service gave it authority to regulate mail-ballot procedures. The Supreme Court’s temporary intervention now leaves existing state procedures in place for the time being.