WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to restrict mail ballots ahead of the midterm elections. The decision allows states to continue sending ballots under existing processes used by nearly one-third of voters. The Trump administration wanted restrictions in place before the November elections. Election officials said there wasn’t enough time to implement the changes, and opponents said Trump lacked constitutional authority to set election rules. The Justice Department argued that postal rules are controlled by the federal government. The plan would have required uniform envelopes and online submissions of voter lists, but a whistleblower report raised questions about systemic flaws that potentially could disenfranchise millions of voters.
Supreme Court lifts a cloud over midterms, letting mail ballots flow as normal to voters
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to limit mail voting by imposing new Postal Service regulations for the midterm elections. The decision announced late Monday allows mail voting to continue as usual. It also suggests that the court is unlikely to support similar efforts in future elections. Voting rights advocates and state officials expressed relief, given that roughly a third of voters in the U.S. use mail ballots. The decision, which came as mail voting is already underway in some states, was especially welcome in states that conduct elections primarily by mail.
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