Trump asks US Supreme Court to allow mail-in voting restrictions

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters and The Associated Press, reports that President Donald Trump’s administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let it enforce major mail-in voting restrictions before November’s midterm elections. The Justice Department made an emergency request on Monday seeking to pause a lower-court order that blocked parts of Trump’s March executive order in 23 Democratic-led states and Washington, DC while litigation continues.

According to the report, the order told federal agencies to assist in compiling state lists of eligible voters, required the US Postal Service to send mail ballots only to people on those lists, and directed the Justice Department to prioritize investigations of election officials accused of providing ballots to ineligible voters. US District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the order in June, finding that Trump did not have power to unilaterally alter state administration of federal elections and noting the Constitution gives states authority over voter-eligibility rules.

After the First US Circuit Court of Appeals declined to pause Talwani’s ruling, the administration turned to the Supreme Court. Solicitor General John Sauer argued the executive order was broad policy guidance and said agencies were still considering how, or whether, to implement it. He urged quick action, saying any policy would need to be in place by August to affect the November vote.

The case matters because the midterms will decide control of Congress and because mail voting has become a central dispute in US election law. Al Jazeera notes Trump has repeatedly made unsupported claims about widespread voter fraud and has criticized mail ballots, while voting-rights advocates warn tighter rules could have a larger effect on Democratic voters, who have often used mail voting at higher rates.