<p>President Donald Trump’s efforts to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting before the November midterm elections are facing a tight deadline as ballots begin to be mailed and the Supreme Court considers whether to allow the administration to proceed.</p>
<p>A second federal judge has blocked the U.S. Postal Service from implementing its new "Ballot Mail for Federal Elections" rule, leaving the Trump administration reliant on emergency relief from the Supreme Court with 50 days remaining until Election Day.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols of Washington, D.C., stated that the new rule exceeds the authority of the USPS.</p>
<p>The proposed rule would require ballot envelopes to meet new USPS design standards and include unique barcodes, while also mandating that states upload information about voters receiving mail ballots into a federal online portal. The Postal Service could refuse to deliver certain ballots that do not comply with these requirements.</p>
<p>Judge Nichols, appointed by Trump, indicated that only Congress has the power to permit the USPS to enforce this rule and noted that it would likely create confusion.</p>
<p>Nichols’s ruling follows a September 4 injunction from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Boston, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama. The Trump administration has requested the Supreme Court to lift Talwani’s injunction and allow the Postal Service rules to take effect while litigation is ongoing.</p>
<p>The approaching election may complicate the administration’s efforts, even if the justices are open to its legal arguments.</p>
<p>Elections experts have expressed concerns that implementing the executive order could disrupt the electoral process and potentially disenfranchise millions of voters. Ballots have already been sent out in North Carolina, Alabama, and Wisconsin, and military and overseas ballots are expected to be sent in all states by Saturday, 45 days before the midterm elections, according to USPS.</p>
<p>Two election law experts stated that the compressed timeline makes it less likely that the Supreme Court will permit the administration to implement the new system for the 2026 election.</p>
<p>David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research, expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would not lift the injunction, citing a history of the courts blocking the administration's election-related executive orders.</p>
<p>Stephen Richer, a legal fellow at the Cato Institute, noted that the complexities of implementing the new rule contribute to the likelihood that the court will maintain the injunction.</p>
<p>Experts also acknowledge that the Supreme Court typically prefers to avoid involvement in elections, allowing states to manage the process. However, Trump’s order relates to federal mail handling, complicating the situation.</p>
<p>In an amicus brief, the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, warned that the proposed rule could lead to significant mail delivery issues for voters.</p>
<p>The union, representing 200,000 postal workers, stated that the implementation of the rule would require extensive training for postal clerks, which is not feasible before the elections.</p>
<p>The Trump administration has countered claims that the USPS rule would disenfranchise voters. Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that the rule imposes only minor requirements for ballot envelopes.</p>
<p>Sauer stated that the rule builds on existing practices and requires states to upload recipient information that election officials already possess.</p>
<p>White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis defended the administration’s actions, describing them as necessary measures to secure mail-in ballots.</p>
<p>As the Supreme Court prepares to issue its ruling, the reasoning behind its decision could influence whether the Trump administration continues to pursue this issue beyond the upcoming election cycle.</p>
<p>Experts suggest that if the Supreme Court rules that the implementation is too late, the administration may choose to discontinue its efforts.</p>