With ballots already being mailed in several states, the administration argues delaying or rescinding the injunction risks confusion and chaos as preparatory steps become voluntary rather than mandatory.

Democratic states and voting rights groups argue the changes are unconstitutional, while election officials say there isn’t enough time to revise systems to comply with the Postal Service directives.

States have begun sending out mail ballots, creating time pressure for implementing new restrictions and compliance with the court order.

Background context includes President Trump’s March executive order to regulate vote-by-mail and require lists of eligible voters, with DOJ enforcement priorities for elections.

The Trump administration renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court to halt or modify new mail ballot restrictions as a federal judge extended an injunction blocking those changes ahead of the midterm elections.

A federal judge, Indira Talwani, extended an order against the Postal Service enforcing President Trump’s executive order related to mail voting for November elections, creating ongoing legal contention and timing challenges for states.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended the injunction that prevents the USPS from enforcing Donald Trump’s executive order restricting delivery of mail-in ballots.

The USPS says it stands ready to implement the restrictions if courts lift the injunction, including delivering ballots only to voters with names and barcodes linked to federal eligibility data.

Trump has advocated for limiting mail voting, although he has used mail voting himself; critics allege he has blamed mail voting for his 2020 election loss without evidence.

Trump has publicly supported mail voting for himself in the past, but has sought to limit it in general, a point noted in the article.

Trump has repeatedly pushed for tighter mail-in voting rules and has criticized earlier mail-in voting as insecure, though he has used mail-in voting himself.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.