The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to proceed with an executive order that restricts mail‑in voting ahead of the November midterm elections, though the scope of its implementation remains uncertain.

The order, signed in March, directs the administration to compile lists of eligible voters and instructs the United States Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to individuals on those lists. Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia sued to block the measure, arguing that the Constitution assigns election administration to states and Congress and warning of potential chaos.

A federal judge in Massachusetts initially blocked the plan for the midterm elections; an appeals court upheld that injunction and later extended it nationwide. The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court, asserting that the states filed the suit prematurely and that a separate appellate decision had already permitted the order to move forward. The Court’s order addressed procedural arguments rather than the substantive merits of the policy. Several Republican‑leaning states filed briefs supporting the federal government, saying they would have a role in shaping the final voter lists.

The decision does not resolve all legal challenges; further litigation may arise if the administration implements the changes before the elections. The Justice Department had filed an emergency appeal seeking to allow implementation before the midterms, but the Supreme Court’s action leaves the matter subject to subsequent court rulings.

While Trump has repeatedly asserted without evidence that mail voting leads to widespread fraud, a 2025 Brookings Institution study found only about four instances of fraud per 10 million mail ballots cast. Mail voting has been used by roughly 30 % of ballots in the 2024 presidential election and is considered secure by election officials.

The Supreme Court previously ruled that states may count mail ballots received after Election Day, a decision made after full briefing and argument, not on an emergency docket.

The ruling allows the administration to move forward with the order, but the timing and extent of its effect on the upcoming elections remain unclear.