Sauer seeks enforcement of the ballot-mail rule
D. John SauerU.S. solicitor general, representing the government
Sauer argues that the USPS requirements are lawful postal controls and seeks immediate relief from the November injunction.
Responding to
Mandatory USPS ballot-mail requirements are lawful postal controls and should be enforced for the November 2026 election.
“an important federal policy to protect the mails from being used to commit voter fraud”
Original text
Where this statement fits
Should Trump’s new mail-in voting restrictions apply to the 2026 midterms?
USPS’s new federal ballot-mail rule requires election officials to meet envelope standards, enroll voters through a federal portal and submit outgoing ballots for verification. The Trump administration argues these are lawful anti-fraud postal controls. Challenging states and civil-rights organizations say USPS is intruding into state-run elections and that the late rollout threatens voters’ access. On September 14, the Supreme Court left a temporary block in place for the 2026 election. Alito and Thomas would have allowed enforcement; Kavanaugh objected to applying the rule this year.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
Government litigation position seeking immediate relief from the preliminary injunction. It argues that the requirements fall within postal powers and protect against fraudulent use of the mail.
Before the quotation
The government applies for a Supreme Court stay.
After the quotation
The application argues the controls are modest and do not transfer election administration to USPS.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Defends 2026 enforcement through the government’s stay application.
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The Dispute Index. "Sauer seeks enforcement of the ballot-mail rule". First published: 2026-09-15. Last updated: 2026-09-15. https://disputeindex.com/events/630-sauer-argues-that-the-usps-requirements-are-lawful