• Supreme Court blocks new rules
  • Pennsylvania keeps existing procedures
  • Counties are already sending ballots

The US Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to implement new US Postal Service (USPS) rules for handling mail-in ballots before the November 2026 election.

The September 14 decision leaves lower-court orders blocking the changes in place and allows Pennsylvania to continue using its existing procedures across all 67 counties.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt welcomed the ruling, which came after some counties had already begun distributing ballots for the November 3 general election.

“This ruling represents a significant victory for Pennsylvania voters and, more importantly, provides the much-needed final resolution for voters and counties ahead of this year’s elections,” Schmidt said.

Supreme Court Blocks Mail-In Voting Changes in Pennsylvania

The Supreme Court’s majority concluded that the government had not demonstrated a sufficient likelihood of succeeding in its appeal and that the factors governing an emergency stay did not favor its request.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that the rules should remain blocked for the 2026 election, although he indicated that they could fall within the USPS’s legal authority. His principal concern was timing: Election officials did not have sufficient time to implement the changes before voters began receiving their ballots.

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Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas disagreed with the decision. They believed the government had presented sufficient arguments for the rules to take effect while the litigation continued.

The ruling addresses only the government’s emergency request. It is not a final judgment on whether the disputed USPS rules are legal.

Pennsylvania Has Already Begun Sending Ballots for November

Supreme Court Blocks New Mail-In Voting Rules in Pennsylvania
Supreme Court Blocks New Mail-In Voting Rules in Pennsylvania – Illustration: generated with AI — MundoNow

The ruling has an immediate effect on the election calendar. The Pennsylvania Department of State confirmed that some counties had already begun distributing mail-in ballots.

The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026. October 19 is the deadline to register to vote or update a voter registration before the election.

Voters should carefully follow all instructions included with their ballots. These include placing the completed ballot inside the designated official envelope and signing and dating the outer return envelope.

With the disputed USPS rules blocked, election officials can continue preparing for November without incorporating new requirements shortly before Election Day.

Sources: ABC 27, WKBN.