Trump Administration Returns to Supreme Court Seeking to Implement USPS Mail-in Ballot Restrictions Before Midterms

The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to stay a temporary restraining order by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani blocking new USPS envelope-design and voter-data-portal rules for mail ballots, marking the second such emergency application in six weeks under Trump's March 31 executive order on mail voting 12. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued the order risks "irreparable harm" because North Carolina and Alabama were due to begin mailing ballots as soon as September 4, and he asked for an immediate administrative stay while the Court considers the request 13. The Court gave the challenging states, led by California, until 10 a.m. on September 8 to respond 13. Late Friday, Talwani granted a preliminary injunction preserving the same envelope and portal restrictions in place of the TRO, after which California deputy solicitor general Ian Fein told the Court the administration's stay application was now moot 1. The fight pits a 23-state-plus-D.C. coalition led by California against 12 states led by Alabama backing the administration, whose application characterized the new requirements as "modest" envelope and addressee-information standards meant to guard against mail-voting fraud 1.