Supreme Court Backs Trump’s Order to Restrict Mail Ballots, but Legal Challenges Continue

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to begin implementing parts of an executive order aimed at restricting mail voting, while leaving open the possibility of additional legal challenges before the November midterm elections.

The unsigned 10-page order did not rule on whether Trump’s executive order is ultimately legal. Instead, the justices focused on whether the states challenging the policy had brought their case too early.

The ruling allows the Department of Homeland Security to move forward with plans to compile state-specific lists of people it believes are eligible to vote. The court also allowed the U.S. Postal Service to proceed with portions of the plan requiring states to submit voter eligibility information and use tracking information on mail-ballot envelopes.

However, a separate lower-court ruling has blocked the USPS effort nationwide, meaning further litigation is likely.

The Supreme Court said its decision does not mean that every action taken by the administration to implement the executive order will necessarily be lawful.

The ruling drew strong criticism from the court’s three liberal justices. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the decision delays a determination of whether Trump’s directives are lawful, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson argued that the ruling could create additional uncertainty heading into the midterm elections.

Trump signed the executive order in March directing the Postal Service and DHS to take new roles in screening voter rolls and regulating state mail-ballot programs. The administration has described the effort as necessary to protect election integrity.

Democratic-led states that challenged the order argued that the White House was attempting to exert federal control over election procedures, which are generally determined by states and Congress.

The Supreme Court’s decision is not expected to be the final word on the issue. Additional court rulings could come as states prepare for the 2026 elections, with some states facing deadlines to begin sending mail ballots within weeks.