STATEMENT: State Officials Stop USPS Mail Voting Rule from Impacting This Year’s Midterms

WASHINGTON — The States United Democracy Center released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court denying the Trump administration’s application to stay a lower court’s preliminary injunction of portions of the U.S. Postal Service’s mail voting rule.

As a result of the Court’s action, the Sept. 4 decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts will remain in place through the November 2026 election. The Postal Service cannot force states to comply during this year’s midterms.

Joanna Lydgate, CEO of the States United Democracy Center:

“Tonight, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed what the Constitution established at this country’s founding: States run elections, not the president. It put a stop to President Trump’s unlawful power grab and made good on the Constitution’s promise of checks and balances. With just 50 days until this year’s midterm election, the administration’s attempt at drastic changes to mail voting processes would have created chaos and risked disenfranchising eligible American voters.

“A coalition of states challenged the administration’s actions in court, recognizing the executive overreach and the harm this rule would cause. And they won—just as they have over and over again. State and local officials will continue to ensure that we have another free, fair, and secure election this November.”

Implementation of the USPS rule for the 2026 elections faced bipartisan opposition:

• 24 states and the District of Columbia challenged the rule.
• The chief election officials of Utah, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, New Hampshire, and Kansas, among a group of over three dozen current and former officials, filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court urging the Court to allow existing rules to stay in place for midterms.
• A bipartisan coalition of 100 current and former election officials and jurisdictions filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court.

The popularity of mail voting across various demographics in 2022 and 2024 is available here.

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About the States United Democracy Center

States United is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. We provide direct support to state officials and law enforcement leaders as they uphold the law and our system of checks and balances, protect public safety, defend elections, and preserve our democracy. For more information, visit statesunited.org.