Trump again asks supreme court to restrict mail-in voting as midterms loom

The Trump administration has renewed its appeal to the US Supreme Court to allow restrictions on mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. The appeal comes after a federal judge, Indira Talwani, blocked new limits on mail ballots, extending a court order that prevents the US Postal Service from enforcing President Trump's executive order.

According to Solicitor General D. John Sauer's 40-page emergency application, ballots have already begun to be mailed in North Carolina, with more states set to start the process soon, including Alabama on September 9 and at least five states the week of September 13. The administration argues that the injunction allowing the Postal Service and states to continue preparing for the mail-in voting process is causing confusion and chaos.

This is the third time the administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter. The high court has allowed the plan to move forward but has not yet ruled on its legality. The outcome could have significant implications for the midterm elections, with nearly one-third of US voters casting mail ballots.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian US, The Hill, Fortune, CBS News, PBS NewsHour — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.