US Supreme Court clears the way for Trump mail voting order in advance of midterms

The US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of President Donald Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting ahead of the midterms, although the immediate impact of the decision is unclear. The court's three liberal-leaning justices dissented from the unsigned order. The order, signed in March, mandates that the US Postal Service deliver mail ballots only to individuals listed on the administration's approved voter registrations.

Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia have challenged the order, arguing that it violates the Constitution's allocation of election power to states and Congress. They claim that the changes could lead to chaos and partisan abuse. Several state and local election officials urged the justices to freeze the order due to the short time frame before the elections.

Massachusetts granted a second order blocking the implementation nationwide. The administration appealed to the Supreme Court on procedural grounds, but an appeal court upheld the Massachusetts judge's decision. Federal lawyers argued that the state's action prevents the government from finalizing and implementing the president's policies for a fair election.

Despite Trump's claims of mail-in voting fraud, non-citizen votes are extremely rare, and mail ballots have been shown to be secure. A 2025 Brookings Institution study found only four cases of fraud out of every 10 million mail ballots cast.