Legal fights over Trump vote-by-mail limits escalate as absentee ballots go out

newsSep 4, 202622546

Mail-in voting for the 2026 midterms has begun in states including North Carolina and Florida even as courts dispute new federal limits. A federal judge temporarily blocked the U.S. Postal Service from enforcing new mail-in voting requirements tied to President Donald Trump’s March executive order, after the Supreme Court earlier allowed parts of the order to move forward. The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court and permit enforcement of a Postal Service rule that would restrict how mail ballots are handled. A USPS whistleblower alleges agency officials flagged significant IT problems with a new system for verifying mail ballots. Changing mail-ballot procedures could affect tens of millions of voters because 37 states and the District of Columbia now allow universal mail voting and another 13 states allow it with restrictions, up from 21 states in 2000. Election experts warn implementing sweeping, nationwide changes with only weeks before fall elections would be infeasible; David Becker of the Center for Election Innovation and Research said it is impossible to implement the order with about 70 days before the election. Local rollout has already started: North Carolina began its official mail-in period Friday, and at least one Florida county reported sending its first 2026 midterm ballot.

CREW

@citizensforethics.org

Donald Trump votes by mail Donald Trump votes by mail Donald Trump votes by mail Donald Trump votes by mail Donald Trump votes by mail

1612h ago

UncleMark🦅🇺🇸3

While holding x34 felony convictions

Quoting this

Michael McDonald48

Trump uses ballot harvesting Trump uses ballot harvesting Trump uses ballot harvesting Trump uses ballot harvesting Trump uses ballot harvesting (he has someone deliver his mail ballot for him)

Steve Schmidt

@thewarningses.bsky.social

“The American people will vote. We will vote in enormous numbers. We will vote without fear. We will vote with determination. We will vote with defiance. And above all else: we will make damn sure our votes are counted.” steveschmidt.substack.com/p/mail-pract...

792h ago

🇨🇦Stéphane Prévost-Fella1

I hope so, sir, and good luck in the midterms. But here we are very skeptical. In Canada, we have difficulty understanding how one portion of your population could invade the Capitol based on a lie, while the other goes to work every morning as if everything were (and still is) just fine. ✌️

Mack Butterfield1

Mail voting should be safe and accessible to every eligible voter. But with this administration actively trying to change the rules during an election, I’m not taking chances. If you’re able to vote in person, I would. Make damn sure your vote gets counted.

strea3m.bsky.social

@strea3m.bsky.social

Please, please make your plans to vote now -In person? Look up your polling place & hrs -By mail? Learn what it takes to get your ballot, do it. Also, what to do if it doesn't show. Use drop boxes or drop it off in person VOTE, do it early Do it, don't let the corrupt liar🤡 steal this from us too

414h ago

conifergirl.bsky.social

@conifergirl.bsky.social

If you must vote by mail, request your ballot as early as legally possible, return it immediately, and use your state or local election authority’s ballot-tracking system where one is available.

583h ago

conifergirl.bsky.social79

Do not wait. Do not assume. Verify. This election requires Americans to abandon the comforting assumption that every institution of the federal government will behave as it has behaved before. It requires vigilance.

auggie

@autumndork.bsky.social

60 days till the midterms! Don’t forget to check your voter registration status Try to vote in person if you can Use official voter drop off boxes rather than mailboxes if voting by mail If you aren’t registered to vote, please for the love of god register now, not tomorrow, not next week, now.

272h ago

Hansi Lo Wang (he/him)

@hansilowang.bsky.social

Dear eligible voters, These deadlines to register to vote and update registration for the midterms are less than a month away: Fri, 10/2 — SOUTH CAROLINA — in-person (10/4 online, 10/5 mail) Sat, 10/3 — U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — in-person (10/4 online) Sun, 10/4 — ALASKA Sun, 10/4 — RHODE ISLAND

183h ago

digby

@digby56.bsky.social

The Supreme Court majority is obviously dedicated to vote suppression so I suspect that when all is said and done they are going to end vote by mail. And it's all because the greatest sore loser in world history couldn't admit that he lost. It's Caligula level absurdity.

371h ago

VoteHub

@votehub.com

The first ballot of the 2026 midterms has been sent out today in Florida, going to a Republican voter in Pasco County. The 2026 midterms are officially underway. Florida Vote-by-Mail 🔴 Republicans: 1 (100%) 🔵 Democrats: 0 (0%) 🟡 Other: 0 (0%)

282h ago

Democracy Vibe · by NoMAGA2

One important distinction: a ballot being mailed is not a vote being cast. The 100–0 split measures the first recipient, not Florida’s electorate.

Derek Prime2

There's no coming back from this, it's so over

Quoting this

VoteHub15

As the first ballots go out for the 2026 midterms, Democrats lead in enough U.S. Senate polling averages to win 52 seats this November. But six of those leads are within 3 points, meaning Republicans only need to flip two of them to retain control.

Mikey4

oh bitch it’s over .. Florida going red ..

Kiba_Ru!3

Welp we lost the midterms gg

Lawfare

@lawfaremedia.org

Yesterday, Judge Talwani heard argument on renewed motions for a preliminary injunction against President Trump's executive order targeting mail voting. @mollyroberts.bsky.social reports from the courtroom where questioning focused on the Postal Service's final rule implementing the order.

241h ago

Jo Smith-Dromey

@jsmithdromey.bsky.social

If the polling machines are hacked (which is a suspicion, too), what recourse do we have? We can't reliably vote by mail, by ballot box, or by machine. In short, we can't reliably vote.

172h ago

neptune45.bsky.social

@neptune45.bsky.social

So, trump wants to do away with mail-in voting saying it's not safe and subject to fraud, so you're a justice on the SCOTUS and you hear him say that and you go Um then why do you vote by mail

94h ago

Greg Todd

@1gregtodd.bsky.social

61% of mail-in ballots voted for Harris in 2024. 37% voted for Trump. Any questions? www.cnn.com/2026/09/04/p...

43h ago

Wilma Marlene Fine ✈️

@wmf5.bsky.social

To the disabled, to the elderly, to people without transportation, the Republicans don't want you to exercise your right to vote. Eliminating mail in ballots will help suppress the vote. Otherwise, they can't win without cheating. This is just another way to ensure that they stay out of prison.

71h ago

Andy 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇲🇽1

And a lot of Republican voters rely on mail in voting. Plus military members also vote mostly by mail. I did so my first time voting in 1984 while in tech school. Even if the fascist doesn't get his way with his asinine rules, he will sow confusion and will tell Mikey to not seat Democrats. 🤬🤬

hand_to_eye1

I don't hear much talk about solutions for us.

Puregoldj

@puregoldj.bsky.social

Election judge here. If you vote by mail, you may have other options for delivery. Most states have drop boxes that are watched by law enforcement; typically near a school or other public building. You can also bring your ballot into any voting station during early voting or on Election Day.

52h ago