f{"id":50329,"date":"2026-09-15T14:15:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T21:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=50329"},"modified":"2026-09-15T14:15:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T21:15:24","slug":"major-win-for-democracy-as-supreme-court-rejects-trump-attack-on-mail-in-voting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/09\/15\/major-win-for-democracy-as-supreme-court-rejects-trump-attack-on-mail-in-voting\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Major Win\u2019 for Democracy as Supreme Court Rejects Trump Attack on Mail-In Voting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/us-politics-california-vote.jpg?id=66864526&amp;width=1200&amp;height=400&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=0%2C540%2C0%2C1127\" alt=\"US-POLITICS-CALIFORNIA-VOTE\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3;width:1200px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An election worker processes mail-in ballots at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center during California\u2019s state primary election in the City of Industry, California, on June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Photo by Patrick T. Fallon \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cThis executive order was a blatant power grab designed to silence voters and undermine our elections, but it failed because the people and the law were on our side.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/jon-queally\">Jon Queally<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sep 14, 2026 (CommonDreams.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/us-supreme-court\">US Supreme Court<\/a> on Monday night rejected a bid by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/trump-administration\">Trump administration<\/a> to keep onerous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/us-postal-service\">US Postal Service<\/a> rules for mail-in ballots in place, which voting-rights defenders said risked depriving millions of people of the franchise in this year\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/midterm-elections\">midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a back-and-forth legal battle over the USPS rules that dragged on for months, the nation\u2019s highest court issued the 7-2 ruling without elaborating on its legal reasoning, though <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/right-wing\">right-wing<\/a> Justices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/samuel-alito\">Samuel Alito<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/clarence-thomas\">Clarence Thomas<\/a> issued dissents in favor of President Donald Trump\u2019s side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RECOMMENDED&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a class=\"rm-stats-tracked\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-mail-in-voting\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/georgia-ballots-are-processed-and-counted-on-election-day.jpg?id=63515701&amp;width=1200&amp;height=1200&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=333%2C0%2C334%2C0\" alt=\"Georgia Ballots Are Processed And Counted On Election Day\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;width:600px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-mail-in-voting\">Democrats, Groups Fight Back After Supreme Court Clears Way for Trump Attack on Mail Voting<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a class=\"rm-stats-tracked\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-vote-order-blocked\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/demonstrators-gather-on-the-national-mall-during-a-defend-the-vote-rally-marking-the-63rd-anniversary-of-the-1963-march-on-was.jpg?id=67751183&amp;width=1200&amp;height=1200&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=833%2C0%2C834%2C0\" alt=\"Appeals Court Rejects 'Likely Unlawful' Trump Push to Undermine Mail-In Voting as Supreme Court Looms\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;width:600px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-vote-order-blocked\">Appeals Court Rejects \u2018Likely Unlawful\u2019 Trump Push to Undermine Mail-In Voting as Supreme Court Looms<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/assets.aclu.org\/live\/uploads\/2026\/09\/26A305_3756.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ruling<\/a> in <em>USPS v. California<\/em> was in response to a legal challenge brought by the League of Women\u2019s Voters, the attorneys general of numerous states, and others who argued that newly-announced rules by the Postal Service regarding mail-in ballots, changes prompted by an executive order issued by Trump, would prevent people from having their ballots counted and cause chaos for those trying to administer this year\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A victory for democracy, a defeat for election deniers. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MKjfKmgyTv\">https:\/\/t.co\/MKjfKmgyTv<\/a><\/p>&mdash; David Crowley (@DavidCCrowley) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidCCrowley\/status\/2099652447689957380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 15, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to the ruling, the plaintiffs\u2019 legal team said the decision was \u201ca critical step to ensuring free and fair elections this November by maintaining access to mail voting for millions of eligible voters across the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/united-states\">United States<\/a> and lifting the dire threat that the Postal Service would disenfranchise them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMail voting is safe, secure, and reliable\u2014and the Trump administration has presented no evidence to the contrary, as the courts have repeatedly recognized,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cWe will remain vigilant in countering threats to free and fair elections and ensuring that every eligible voter is able to cast a ballot and have it count.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cToday\u2019s decision is a victory for our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/democracy\">democracy<\/a> and a powerful affirmation of the rule of law,\u201d said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. \u201cThe stakes in this litigation could not have been higher.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/virginia\">Virginia<\/a> Kase Solom\u00f3n, president and CEO of Common Cause, was among the other pro-democracy advocates who welcomed the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cToday\u2019s decision is a major win for the millions of everyday Americans who count on vote-by-mail\u2014our seniors, service members, busy parents, rural voters, and voters with disabilities,\u201d said Solom\u00f3n in a statement. \u201cVote-by-mail is safe, proven, and vital; even the president uses it. This executive order was a blatant power grab designed to silence voters and undermine our elections, but it failed because the people and the law were on our side. Our Constitution is clear: states run our elections, and voters choose their leaders\u2014not the other way around. No administration can strip the people of their power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael McNulty, senior policy director for Issue One, a nonpartisan group that works to defend free and fair elections, also welcomed the ruling, but said vigilance would still be necessary going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe fight to preserve states\u2019 authority to administer elections is far from over,\u201d warned McNulty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPresident Trump continuously and falsely claims fraud in mail-in voting without evidence,\u201d he added. \u201cDespite voting multiple times with this method, he remains obsessed with centralizing control over elections to tilt the playing field. However, for now, one piece of that centralization effort is blocked, and it ensures that mail-in voting for the midterms won\u2019t be disrupted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/jon-queally\">Jon Queally<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jon Queally is managing editor of Common Dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/jon-queally\">Full Bio &gt;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An election worker processes mail-in ballots at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center during California\u2019s state primary election in the City of Industry, California, on June 2, 2026. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon \/ AFP via Getty Images) \u201cThis executive order was a blatant power grab designed to silence&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/09\/15\/major-win-for-democracy-as-supreme-court-rejects-trump-attack-on-mail-in-voting\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2088],"tags":[519],"class_list":["post-50329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-election","tag-u-s-supreme-court"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50329\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}