https://apwu.org/news/apwu-statement-on-vote-by-mail-supreme-court-ruling/?link_id=1&can_id=3d71bf9d12719f8c5ae11fd6b92ebb8f&source=email-deadline-coming-register-to-vote-3&email_referrer=email_3403864&email_subject=apwu-responds-to-supreme-court-on-vote-by-mail

September 15, 2026

APWU Statement on Vote-by-Mail Supreme Court Ruling

Vote by Mail

Last night, in a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s executive order on Vote-by-Mail will not be in effect for the 2026 midterm elections, ensuring postal workers can continue to follow the procedures that have proven to work in the past. Postal workers will continue doing what they have done for more than a century: moving election mail and ballots in a timely and secure manner.

“This decision is a victory for every American and a relief for postal workers who are committed to serving them,” said APWU President Jonathan Smith. “Once again, the public can count on postal workers to ensure their vote is counted.”

Since the executive order was first issued, the APWU has argued that it was unprincipled, unlawful and unworkable.

It was unprincipled because Vote-by-Mail works. It has been a feature of American democracy since the Civil War and has helped hundreds of millions of Americans safely and securely access the ballot box for generations, including during the last two election cycles in 2022 and 2024.

The APWU filed an amicus brief with the court arguing that the order was unlawful because it represented an unconstitutional power grab by the executive branch, interfered with states’ authority to conduct elections, and created the false impression that postal workers should have a role in deciding who can and cannot vote.

Finally, the APWU argued that the rule was unworkable because of the rush to implement it before this year’s election, without proper training or guidance for postal workers or the states that would be forced to comply with it.

“Postal management and the Board of Governors never should have allowed things to go this far,” said Smith. “It is past time for Chairwoman McReynolds and the governors to stand up for the Postal Service’s independence and ensure that this rule never sees the light of day. If they don’t, we will be reliving this nightmare again in 2028. Our message to the board is simple: Vote-by-Mail works. Keep it. Protect it. Expand it.”

The APWU is now calling on the Postal Service Board of Governors to put an end to this measure once and for all. Write a letter urging them to permanently end this unlawful and unprincipled attack on democracy.