The Supreme Court on Monday lifted a lower court injunction blocking President Trump's March executive order on mail-in ballots, allowing key provisions to move forward ahead of the November midterms. The 6-3 conservative majority ruled the challenge was premature, leaving the order's full implementation uncertain.
Trump's order directs the Department of Homeland Security to compile lists of eligible voters and requires the USPS to deliver ballots only to voters on state-approved mail-in lists. A coalition of 23 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia had sued to block the order, arguing it oversteps federal authority. The court did not act on a separate injunction blocking USPS from enforcing tighter mail-in ballot rules.
The ruling gives Trump a temporary victory in his push to restrict mail-in voting, which Democrats and voting-rights groups argue could suppress turnout. Republicans traditionally benefit from reduced mail-in ballot usage, as Democratic voters use such ballots at higher rates. The USPS finalized a rule on Friday to implement Trump's directive, requiring states to provide voter lists and unique barcodes on ballot envelopes.
Liberal justices, including Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, arguing the states should not have to wait to challenge the order. Jackson called the decision a 'Kafkaesque nightmare,' saying it injects chaos into the election process. The court left open the door for states to refile lawsuits as the midterms approach.