Trump pushes Supreme Court case on USPS ballot power

Donald Trump is making a final push to force the Supreme Court into approving an executive order that would give the US Postal Service broad power over mail-in ballots. This desperate move arrives just days before the midterm elections and comes as states warn of pure chaos if federal rules override local ones.

Administration lawyers bypassed the 1st Circuit US Court of Appeals Thursday and went straight to the high court. They did this before that lower court could review the appeal regarding a new USPS portal for mail-in ballots. The plan involves comparing every mailed ballot against a central database holding voter registration data from all fifty states.

Trump officials told the justices their proposed rules are only modest requirements about envelope design and address information. They claimed the order plainly does not seize control of state election administration. Instead, they argued it simply imposes reasonable preparation steps for certain mail related to voting.

However, intense scrutiny has already fallen on this program. A whistleblower report detailed problems at every stage of the USPS effort to build this technical system. The agency faces serious questions about its ability to handle this task without error.

Worse still is a zero-percent failure rate mandate the USPS adopted alongside the portal. Critics say this rule could lead to a massive rejection of ballots with no chance for appeal if any glitch occurs. Less than a week ago, Trump officials admitted in court they were not sure if the program itself was even operational yet.

The administration seeks more federal control over voting right now. They are tasking the postal service with additional oversight of the mail-in process. This pressure mounts as some states begin sending out their own ballots soon. North Carolina starts distribution within hours this Friday. Alabama will follow next week.