▲ U.S. Supreme Court
Ahead of the U.S. midterm elections coming up in November, the Donald Trump administration's attempt to restrict mail-in voting has once again been blocked by the courts.
According to the Associated Press, Politico, and other local media outlets on the 14th (local time), the U.S. Supreme Court decided to uphold the lower court's stay on the mail-in voting restriction measures.
While the Supreme Court did not provide specific reasons, it judged that the Trump administration's attempt to implement the mail-in voting restrictions this year is unlikely to be accepted in court, and that the requirements to overturn the lower court's decision have not been met.
Previously, civic groups and others expressed concern that if the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) implements new regulations two months ahead of the midterm elections, millions of voters might not receive their ballots, potentially disenfranchising them.
As a result, states will be able to send mail-in ballots to voters according to existing procedures.
The AP noted that because about one-third of the U.S. population votes by mail, the impact of this issue is bound to be significant.
Regarding this ruling, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas explicitly noted their dissent.
Justice Alito stated that the Postal Service "has broad authority to regulate mail" and may also have the authority to enforce the Trump administration's restriction measures.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that the mail-in voting restrictions should not be implemented in this midterm election, but suggested that if the issue is brought before the court once again, it could rule in favor of the Trump administration.
In March, President Trump raised allegations of election fraud and signed an executive order directing the Postal Service to control mail-in voting in a designated manner.
The order stipulated that ballots would only be delivered if state governments adopt a standardized format for mail-in voting envelopes and submit voter registration lists.
However, voter advocacy groups and state governments led by Democrats filed lawsuits, arguing that such measures by the Trump administration would cause confusion ahead of the midterms and infringe upon the election management authority of each state government.
Following a Massachusetts federal district court in June, a federal appeals court last month sided with civic groups by issuing a decision to suspend the enforcement of the mail-in voting restrictions.
However, last month, the Supreme Court judged that the lower court's decision was premature on the grounds that the Postal Service's specific implementation regulations had not yet been released.
After the Postal Service announced detailed regulations, the Democratic side filed a lawsuit once again, and this time, following the lower court, the Supreme Court also issued a stay blocking the implementation of the new regulations.
(Photo: Getty Images)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.