Story perspectives

Supreme Court Rejects Trump Bid to Restrict Mail Voting

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 2:11 AM UTC · How we work

Left

Disenfranchising Vulnerable Voters

On September 15, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s request to enforce new Postal Service rules that would have restricted mail-in voting.
The blocked rule threatened to burden election officials and disenfranchise seniors, disabled and rural voters.
Trump repeatedly called mail-in voting cheating and sought tighter rules.
It required ballot envelopes to show federal logo and barcode.
States had to upload voter data to an unfinished portal.

Right

Kavanaugh Backs 2028 Rule

On September 15, 2026, U.S. Supreme Court denied President Donald Trump’s request to lift an injunction blocking a Postal Service rule restricting mail-in voting.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurred, saying the rule falls within statutory authority and could be enforced for the 2028 election.
Twenty-four Democratic state attorneys general sued, claiming the rule breaches the Constitution’s Elections Clause.
The Trump administration argued the Postal Service was regulating mail, not election procedures.

Center

Ballot Protection Win

On September 15, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s request to enforce Postal Service rules that would have restricted mail-in voting.
State secretaries Steve Hobbs (Washington) and Jena Griswold (Colorado) hailed the decision as a victory for democracy and ballot protection.
The Court issued a brief 7-2 order, preserving existing state mail-ballot processes.
Election officials in Alabama, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Colorado had begun mailing ballots.

Blindspot

Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the Postal Service rule likely falls within statutory authority and could be enforced for the 2028 election.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Right-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Left-leaning and Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its Shelby County v. Holder decision, striking down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. The 5-4 ruling removed preclearance for 19 Southern states, prompting a surge of 1,200 new voting-restriction bills by 2022. Similarly, on September 15, 2026, the Supreme Court denied Donald Trump’s request to enforce a Postal Service rule that would have tightened mail-in voting nationwide. The decision preserves ballot access for seniors in Washington, Colorado, and other states, underscoring how past voting-rights rollbacks still shape contemporary election battles.

1 of 5

Disenfranchising Vulnerable Voters

On September 15, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s request to enforce new Postal Service rules that would have restricted mail-in voting.
The blocked rule threatened to burden election officials and disenfranchise seniors, disabled and rural voters.
Trump repeatedly called mail-in voting cheating and sought tighter rules.
It required ballot envelopes to show federal logo and barcode.
States had to upload voter data to an unfinished portal.

1 / 5