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The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to temporarily reinstate a federal rule that would give the U.S. Postal Service authority over certain aspects of mail-in voting in the 2026 midterm elections. The emergency application, filed on Sunday, came just two days after a federal judge blocked the regulation from taking effect.
Judge Blocks Mail Ballot Rule as Unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a preliminary injunction on Friday, halting enforcement of the Trump-directed USPS rule. Talwani ruled the regulation is likely unlawful and unconstitutional, arguing that the federal government does not have the authority to dictate how states handle mail-in ballots.
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In her order, Talwani also pointed to the timing of the rule. She wrote that its “immediate implementation of the Final Rule issued less than seventy days before the November 2026 election threatens disenfranchisement of millions of United States citizens who seek to vote by mail.”
What the USPS Rule Would Actually Do
This contested regulation stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March. Under this rule, the USPS can track mail-in ballots. However, it may also reject ballots from voters missing in the federal database.
In response, the Trump administration pushed back against claims of a federal takeover. Specifically, they filed a brief with the Supreme Court on Sunday. In the filing, the administration argued that the rule imposes only modest requirements for federal election envelopes. Furthermore, states must upload voter names, addresses, and barcodes into an online portal. Officials noted that states already possess this information.
Moreover, the administration insisted the rule respects state authority. Consequently, states remain responsible for voter eligibility. Meanwhile, the rule does not dictate ballot content, deadlines, or counting procedures.
Third Escalation to the Supreme Court
Sunday’s application marks the third time the Trump administration has taken this dispute to the nation’s highest court. The Justice Department withdrew its two previous pending requests after submitting the latest application tied to Talwani’s most recent order.
The case has gained urgency because North Carolina last week became the first state to begin sending mail-in ballots to voters, doing so fewer than 60 days before the midterm elections. That development has intensified pressure on courts to resolve the legal dispute quickly.
The broader controversy over the USPS mail ballot rule follows remarks Trump made earlier this year suggesting that Republicans should “nationalize” elections. Those comments drew sharp criticism from local election officials and even from lawmakers within Trump’s own party. Elections in the United States are traditionally administered by individual states, and the administration’s push for federal oversight has raised significant constitutional concerns among legal experts and election administrators alike.
