Hours earlier, Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, separately blocked the rule, finding no law grants USPS its key powers.
The Supreme Court on Monday, Sept. 14 rejected the Trump administration's emergency request to enforce new Postal Service mail-ballot rules before the Nov. 3 midterms, in an apparent 7-2 order saying the government is unlikely to win on the merits.
The split. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented. Justice Kavanaugh, joined by Justice Jackson, wrote that the rule may be lawful but that applying it in 2026 would be arbitrary and capricious for lack of time.
The lower court. Hours earlier, a 24-page ruling from Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, held that no law authorizes the rule's core.
The clock. Ballots are already going out in Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin, 50 days before the election.
Catch up
- Aug. 26 — USPS finished the rule despite a nationwide order; the judge let it publish while the Supreme Court lifted an earlier block 6-3 as premature.
- Aug. 27 — A Boston judge lifted the injunction; 24 states and D.C. sued hours later, arguing USPS lacks authority and voters would be disenfranchised.
- Aug. 29 — The judge blocked USPS from rejecting ballots for 14 days, found no fraud evidence, and set a Sept. 3 hearing; DOJ appealed.
- Sept. 10 — States asked the Supreme Court to keep the ballot requirements blocked.
- Sept. 11 — The 1st Circuit kept the rule blocked 3-0; 7 Republican officials opposed a pre-November start.
- Sept. 12 — The Supreme Court took up the administration's emergency bid to enforce the rule before November.
6 earlier issues
- USPS violated a court order to finalize Trump’s mail-ballot rule; judge allows publication
- Judge clears Trump’s USPS mail-ballot rule; 24 states and D.C. sue hours later
- UpdateJudge blocks USPS from rejecting noncompliant mail ballots for 14 days; DOJ appeals
- UpdateMissouri asks the Supreme Court to reinstate its 7-1 congressional map three days before the ballot deadline
- Kavanaugh leaves Missouri's 6-2 map in place; hours later a federal judge orders the state to run the 7-1 map
- UpdateStates ask Supreme Court to keep new USPS ballot requirements blocked
What the blocked rule would have required
- States would have had to upload voter lists to a Postal Service portal to clear ballot mail.
- The Postal Service could refuse ballot mail that failed its standards.