Trump Officials Again Urge US Supreme Court Intervention on Mail Ballots The US Department of Justice has once again petitioned the Supreme Court to intervene in a legal dispute over President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. The request comes as the administration seeks to halt a recent ruling by a federal judge that blocked the implementation of Trump’s directive to tighten voting-by-mail rules nationwide. The case, which centers on the authority of federal agencies to regulate election procedures, has drawn sharp legal and political divisions, with Trump’s team arguing the order is essential to prevent fraud, while voting rights advocates claim it undermines democratic access. The dispute began in March 2024 when Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to enforce stricter mail-in voting rules. The directive required the Department of Homeland Security to compile and transmit to states a list of eligible voters, while the Justice Department was tasked with investigating and prosecuting election officials who issued ballots to individuals deemed ineligible under federal law. Additionally, the order mandated the US Postal Service to deliver ballots only to voters on each state’s approved mail-in ballot list. The Postal Service recently announced it would begin implementing these changes, sparking immediate controversy. The legal battle intensified when US District Judge Indira Talwani of Boston issued a ruling on Tuesday, effectively expanding an earlier decision she had made in June. In that initial ruling, Talwani had blocked the enforcement of Trump’s order in 23 Democratic-governed states and Washington, D.C., which had challenged the directive as unconstitutional.#donald_trump #us_supreme_court #us_department_of_justice #us_postal_service #indira_talwani
Trump Administration Urges Supreme Court to Block Federal Judge's Ruling on Mail-In Voting Restrictions The Trump administration on Wednesday renewed its push for the Supreme Court to intervene in a legal dispute over an executive order aimed at restricting mail-in voting for federal elections. The administration seeks to halt a federal judge’s ruling in Massachusetts that prohibits the government from implementing part of the order, which affects 23 states and the District of Columbia ahead of the November elections. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the Court must act swiftly to prevent the ruling from undermining the government’s ability to enforce Section 3 of the executive order, which bars the U.S. Postal Service from mailing ballots to voters not on official voter lists. The executive order, titled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” was signed by President Donald Trump on March 31. It mandates three key provisions: the Department of Homeland Security to create state-specific lists of adult U.S. citizens at least 60 days before federal elections; the attorney general to prioritize prosecuting state and local officials who issue federal ballots to ineligible voters; and Section 3, which requires states to provide the USPS with a list of voters to mail ballots to, while prohibiting the USPS from mailing ballots to those not on the list. A coalition of 23 states, led by California, and the District of Columbia challenged the order’s implementation in a federal court in Massachusetts. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled on June 25 that the challengers’ claims regarding the upcoming midterm elections were “ripe” for review, as the order created a “direct and immediate dilemma” for them.#supreme_court #trump_administration #us_postal_service #d_john_sauer #indira_talwani
Appeals Court Grants Trump Temporary Victory in Mail-In Voting Dispute A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., issued a ruling on Friday that temporarily favored the Trump administration in its effort to expand federal oversight of election processes. The decision, delivered by a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, paused a lower court order that had previously blocked the U.S. Postal Service from enforcing a proposed rule to restrict mail-in voting. The ruling, which was unanimous, did not immediately permit the administration to implement the policy but signaled that the court may allow the rule to proceed if legal challenges are resolved before the November midterm elections. The case centers on a proposed regulation by the U.S. Postal Service, which sought to require states to provide approved voter lists and impose stricter guidelines for mail-in ballots. Under the rule, the Postal Service would refuse to deliver ballots in states that failed to submit these lists. Postmaster General David Steiner testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee last month, stating that the Postal Service would not mail ballots in such cases. When asked by Senator Gary Peters, D-Mich., whether the Postal Service would still deliver ballots if states refused to provide voter lists, Steiner responded, “Under our proposed regulation, no. We would tell the state that we need the manifest.” The appeals court’s decision hinged on the argument that the lawsuit challenging the rule was premature, as the policy itself had not yet been finalized. The court also noted that the 2021 settlement between the NAACP and the Postal Service, which resolved a prior lawsuit over delays in mail-in ballot delivery, did not cover the current proposal.#federal_appeals_court #us_postal_service #naacp #d_c_circuit_court_of_appeals #david_steiner
Mailing Tax Returns Near April 15 Deadline Comes With Risk The U.S. Postal Service’s ongoing operational changes have introduced new risks for taxpayers planning to mail their 2025 tax returns before the April 15 deadline. A key factor in determining whether a return is considered on time by the IRS is the postmark date, which may no longer align with the day a taxpayer drops off their return. This shift has raised concerns among tax professionals and individuals who rely on the postal system for time-sensitive filings. The IRS considers any tax return postmarked on or before April 15 as filed on time, even if the agency receives it later. Historically, postmarks were applied the same day a return was mailed, but recent changes at the Postal Service have disrupted this process. According to a rule published in the Federal Register on December 24, delays between mailing and postmarking are expected to increase as the Postal Service modernizes its infrastructure and adjusts transportation schedules. The agency clarified that postmarks are still applied at processing facilities, but the timing of when mail is accepted and processed has become less predictable. Research from the Brookings Institution highlights the impact of these changes. Many post offices now send mail only once a day instead of twice, and about 52% of post offices are located more than 150 miles from their regional processing centers. This means some mail may not begin moving through the system until the next day, potentially delaying the postmark by up to a full day. In cases of weekends or holidays, delays could be even longer. Tax professionals warn that relying on the assumption that a return is postmarked the day it is mailed could lead to penalties.#irs #brookings_institution #us_postal_service #joshua_youngblood #tax_returns
Trump signs order directing creation of a national voter list President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at creating a nationwide list of verified eligible voters and imposing restrictions on mail-in voting, a move that has already sparked legal challenges from state Democratic officials. The directive, which Trump claims will combat widespread voter fraud, seeks to centralize control over election processes and has drawn sharp criticism from election experts and state officials who argue it violates constitutional principles. The order, released alongside the president’s remarks, calls for the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to compile state-level voter lists and mandates that the U.S. Postal Service withhold absentee ballots from individuals not on these lists. However, legal analysts have pointed out that the president lacks the authority to dictate the Postal Service’s operations. The executive order, which was first reported by the Daily Caller, reflects Trump’s ongoing efforts to undermine mail-in voting, a method used by millions of Americans. During the signing ceremony, Trump reiterated his false allegations of fraud, stating, “The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible what’s going on.” He claimed the order would “help a lot with elections,” despite repeated debunking of his claims by courts, audits, and investigations. The move comes as the nation prepares for midterm elections, with Trump seeking to further limit voting access ahead of the November ballot. State officials in Oregon and Arizona, two states that rely heavily on mail ballots, swiftly pledged to sue.#donald_trump #social_security_administration #department_of_homeland_security #us_postal_service #tobias_read
Trump signs sweeping order attacking mail-in voting President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Tuesday targeting mail-in voting, escalating his long-running effort to restrict voting access ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The directive, which marks the most aggressive federal action yet in Trump’s campaign against mail-in voting, includes measures to create a national voter list, mandate secure ballot envelopes, and require federal agencies to enforce strict eligibility checks for absentee ballots. In a statement during the signing ceremony, Trump claimed that “cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible,” accusing Democrats of using the system to “cheat.” He reiterated his longstanding allegations of widespread fraud, despite repeated refutations by election officials and experts. “Democrats want to use it for cheating,” he said, framing the order as a necessary step to protect the integrity of elections. The order directs the Department of Homeland Security to collaborate with the Social Security Administration to compile lists of verified U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state. It also instructs the U.S. Postal Service to send absentee ballots only to voters on approved lists and mandates the use of secure ballot envelopes with unique barcodes for tracking. States would receive updated mail voter lists at least 60 days before federal elections, while the attorney general is tasked with prioritizing investigations into cases involving ballots sent to ineligible voters. States that fail to comply with the new requirements could face a loss of federal funding, a provision designed to pressure jurisdictions to adopt the administration’s policies.#donald_trump #social_security_administration #department_of_homeland_security #democracy_docket #us_postal_service
