Postal voting in the United States becomes a legal issue less than two months before the 2026 midterms
Quick Look
Less than two months before the mid-term elections of November 3, 2026, postal voting in the United States is at the heart of a legal battle concerning a decree from Donald Trump aimed at restricting this method of voting, with a suspension of the rules extended until the day of the election by a magistrate, while electoral officials fear disruptions in the distribution of ballots.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Mail-in voting has become a topic of political debate in the United States, particularly after the 2020 election, with Republicans like Donald Trump claiming it promotes voter fraud, despite a lack of widespread evidence, while Democrats defend its access as a right to vote.
Less than two months before the midterms of November 3, 2026, postal voting is becoming one of the main sources of tension in the election. North Carolina began sending its first ballots on Friday, while the rules that could govern their processing remain suspended in a legal battle initiated around a decree from Donald Trump.
The magistrate in charge of the case extended this suspension on Friday until the day of the election, estimating that “the myriad of obstacles mentioned and the negligible time for officials to familiarize themselves with the new procedures […] will make compliance with these rules by local and state officials virtually impossible”. For his part, the American president asked the Supreme Court to reinstate restrictions that the courts blocked on August 27.
A list of voters authorized to vote
The contested system provides in particular that the States establish a list of voters authorized to vote by mail and that the American Post Office only distributes the ballots to the people who appear on it. Envelopes should also have specific barcodes. A whistleblower warned that “potentially, millions of American voters may not receive their mail-in ballots on time or at all for the upcoming election.”
The government presented these measures as a way to protect electoral integrity. Donald Trump has claimed for several years that postal voting encourages fraud, while using it himself, notably during the Republican primary in Florida last month. The controversy also concerns the distribution of powers between Washington and the States. “It is the states that set the date, place and manner of elections in this country, not the president,” said Marc Elias, founder of Democracy Docket.
Democrats leading the polls
Electoral officials especially fear a change of rules in the midst of preparation for the vote. Eighteen other states are scheduled to begin distributing their ballots approximately 45 days before November 3. A judicial decision authorizing the entry into force of the restrictions would force them to quickly modify envelopes, computer systems, staff training and the integration of electoral data. North Carolina indicated that it would continue its shipments without using the contested system.
Our file on the United States
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Supreme Court will rule on the legality of mail-in voting restrictions before Election Day.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the Supreme Court reinstate restrictions on mail-in voting requested by Donald Trump?
- How many voters could be affected by a last-minute change in mail-in voting procedures?
- What other states could follow North Carolina's lead in continuing mailings without using the challenged system?
