The new restrictions on how the US Postal Service (USPS) processes mail-in ballots have officially taken effect, despite ongoing legal challenges against these measures. The USPS announcement comes as states prepare to mail millions of ballots to voters ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for November 3.
Under the new rules, USPS will compile a list of eligible voters based on data from states and only deliver ballots to individuals whose names appear on this list. The independent federal agency stated: "The government has received relief from these injunctions, meaning the injunctions no longer prevent enforcement of the rules for the November 3 election."
Earlier, on August 24, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of President Donald Trump's administration in a key case, paving the way for the new measures. However, other lawsuits continue, including a new complaint filed by 24 states in federal court in Massachusetts. The state attorneys general argue that these measures are unconstitutional and would cause "substantial, imminent, and irreparable harm" by imposing "new and burdensome mail-in voting requirements" just before the November election.
Mail-in voting has long been a favored target of President Trump, who has claimed it is prone to fraud despite evidence to the contrary and his own use of the method. He has also argued that states have not done enough to verify those who send mail ballots.
In March, Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to create a list of eligible voters and instructing the USPS to deliver mail-in ballots only to those on the list. Following that directive, USPS developed ballot-processing rules but had to delay implementation when Democratic officials from dozens of states and voting rights groups filed lawsuits in federal courts.
In the August 24 ruling, the Supreme Court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, sided with the Trump administration. However, the high court indicated its decision was based on procedural issues, not the constitutionality of the order. Earlier, a lower court had ruled in favor of the states, but the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court in late July.
Mail-in voting is increasingly popular among voters of both Democratic and Republican parties, accounting for about 30% of ballots cast in the 2024 presidential election, according to federal data. Although President Trump repeatedly questions the safety of this method, experts continue to praise its security. A 2025 study by the Brookings Institution found that, on average, there are only about 4 cases of fraud for every 10 million mail-in ballots sent.
