Politics
North Carolina begins mailing midterm ballots amid legal fight over federal postal rules
The distribution marks the start of the 2026 US midterm election voting as the Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to permit nationwide mail-in ballot restrictions.
The short version
- North Carolina became the first state to distribute absentee ballots for the 2026 US midterm elections under a state law requiring mailings 60 days before Election Day.
- The rollout proceeds as the Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to lift a lower court order that blocked proposed federal rules requiring voter data sharing and USPS envelope screening.
- Election officials and voters face uncertainty over whether federal mail-in voting requirements will take effect while voting is actively underway.
Key facts
- North Carolina began sending out mail-in ballots on September 4, fulfilling a state statutory requirement to start absentee distribution 60 days ahead of the general election.[The Guardian · France 24]
- The Trump administration petitioned the Supreme Court to reinstate provisions of a March executive order that would bar the USPS from delivering ballots in states that do not share voter lists through a federal portal and require specific envelope design standards.[The Guardian · France 24]
- US District Judge Indira Talwani froze key components of the administration's plan on August 27, ruling that the federal rules infringed upon state constitutional authority over elections.[The Guardian]
- Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson set a deadline of the following Tuesday for challengers to respond to the administration's emergency stay request.[The Guardian]
- North Carolina election officials stated that their ballot mailings would proceed as scheduled without using the contested federal portal.[France 24]
- An anonymous USPS whistleblower alleged that the verification system was rushed and flawed, warning that scanning issues could cause ballot delays, while the USPS stated that verification procedures are not currently mandatory.[France 24]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the Supreme Court will grant the Trump administration's request to enforce the new mail-in ballot and postal regulations before more states send out ballots.[The Guardian · France 24]
- The operational readiness and potential impact of the USPS screening portal on delivery times if mandatory implementation is approved.[The Guardian · France 24]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.