Trump again appeals to Supreme Court on mail voting restrictions as midterms loom

Key Points:

• U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani questioned DOJ attorney Michael Velchik about the Postal Service's ability to implement Trump's mail voting plan, focusing on an unestablished online portal required to track millions of mail ballots.
• Talwani expressed concern that the government lacks a clear, operational system and described the effort as an "experiment" ahead of the upcoming election, while Velchik insisted the Postal Service will implement the new rule despite ongoing litigation.
• The legal dispute centers on whether the Postal Service has the statutory authority to enforce the new mail voting regulations, with Talwani considering extending a temporary order barring the system's use until Sept. 10 as states begin mailing ballots.
• The Supreme Court ruled Talwani’s earlier injunction premature since the Postal Service had not yet published regulations, prompting renewed lawsuits from Democrats and voting rights groups arguing that election rules are constitutionally a state and congressional power.
• Practical challenges remain, as the portal is inactive, no states have opted into the system, and election officials warn the requirements could disrupt ballot delivery, with a whistleblower report warning the new rules risk discarding millions of valid mail ballots.