The Supreme Court has rejected an effort by the Trump administration to lift a lower-court block on a Postal Service rule affecting mail-in ballots, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh saying applying it in the 2026 midterms would be arbitrary and capricious.
The Supreme Court has rejected an attempt by the Trump administration to lift a block on a Postal Service rule affecting mail-in ballots, according to CNBC.
In connection with the decision, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that applying the Postal Service rule in the 2026 midterm elections “would be arbitrary and capricious.”
The ruling leaves the existing block on the rule in place as reported by CNBC in its September 14, 2026 account of the case.
Kavanaugh’s characterization of the rule as “arbitrary and capricious” pointed to concerns about how the measure would function specifically in the context of the upcoming midterm elections.
The outcome means the contested Postal Service rule will not be applied under the terms the administration had sought while the matter remains blocked.
Why it matters
Mail-in ballots are a widely used method of voting, so rules governing how they are handled can affect voters ahead of a national election. The Supreme Court's decision to keep the block in place shapes how the 2026 midterms will be conducted.