Trump Petitions Supreme Court to Reinstate Mail-in Ballot Restrictions

28 states let any voter cast a mail ballot without an excuse, and 8 states mail a ballot to every registered voter automatically.

The order requires states to submit mail voter lists to USPS 60 days before an election, but no state's application deadline falls that early.

A federal judge blocked enforcement in D.C. and 23 states through the November 3, 2026 midterms, while 12 states backed the order.

4 states, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, and Utah, eliminated their own post-Election Day mail ballot grace periods in 2025, before the federal order existed.

The administration frames the order as fraud prevention; a legal analysis says at least 10 states have handed the Justice Department their full voter files.

Washington state saw a 32% jump in ballots rejected for late postmarks after the USPS rule change took effect.