If you have been following headlines about voting by mail, the U.S. Postal Service, the Supreme Court, and several federal court cases, it may be hard to tell what is actually happening.
So we want to start with what Michigan voters need to know:
You can still vote by mail in Michigan.
Michigan voters can request an absentee ballot, receive a ballot by mail, return it by mail, use a secure drop box, return it directly to their clerk, bring it to an early voting site, vote early in person, or vote at their polling place on Election Day.
None of those voting options has been taken away.
The court fight is about a new USPS rule that would change how election officials use the Postal Service to send absentee and mail ballots. As of September 3, key parts of that rule remain blocked by a federal court order while several court cases continue.
What has not changed for Michigan voters
Michigan voters have several ways to participate in the November 3 General Election.
If you want to vote absentee and are not already on Michigan’s permanent mail ballot list, you can request your absentee ballot now.
Absentee ballots will begin being available to Michigan voters on September 24.
Michigan voters can:
- Vote absentee by mail. Every registered Michigan voter can request and vote an absentee ballot without giving a reason.
- Join the permanent mail ballot list. You can choose to automatically receive an absentee ballot for future elections for which you are eligible.
- Return an absentee ballot by mail. Follow the instructions that come with your ballot, make sure you sign the return envelope, return it as early as possible, and track its status.
- Use a secure ballot drop box. Completed absentee ballots can be returned to an official drop box in your city or township.
- Return your ballot directly to your clerk. You can deliver your completed absentee ballot to your city or township clerk’s office.
- Take your absentee ballot to early voting. During early voting, voters can bring a completed absentee ballot to their assigned early voting site and insert it directly into a tabulator.
- Vote early in person. Michigan’s required early voting period for the November election runs October 24 through November 1.
- Vote at your polling place on Election Day. Polls will be open on Tuesday, November 3.
- Register through Election Day. The deadline to register online or by mail is October 19. Beginning October 20, eligible voters can register or update their registration in person at their city or township clerk’s office through 8:00 PM on Election Day.
- Track your absentee ballot. Visit mi.gov/vote to see when your clerk sends your ballot and when your clerk receives it back.
So what is the USPS rule everyone is fighting about?
On March 31, President Donald Trump issued an executive order about federal elections.
One part of the order directed USPS to develop new requirements for ballot mail. USPS proposed a rule in June and issued its final rule in August.
Among other requirements, the final rule would require election officials to:
- Meet new requirements for absentee ballot envelopes
- Use unique barcodes associated with individual voters
- Have ballot-envelope designs reviewed by USPS
- Use a new Federal Ballot Mail Portal
- Submit information about voters receiving mail ballots through that system
Under the rule, USPS could refuse certain outgoing ballot mail if state or local election officials did not meet the new requirements.
States and voting rights organizations challenging the rule argue that USPS does not have the legal power to impose these requirements on state elections. They also argue that making such large changes this close to an election could interfere with voters receiving their ballots.
The federal government argues that USPS has authority to set requirements for mail it accepts and that the rule regulates the use of the mail rather than state elections themselves.
Those questions are now being fought out in federal court.
Didn’t the Supreme Court already decide this?
The Supreme Court has already been involved, but it has not decided whether the final USPS rule is legal.
That distinction is important.
A federal judge blocked parts of the executive order. On August 24, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted that earlier order.
The Supreme Court said the states had gone to court too early because USPS had not yet completed its final rule.
The Supreme Court did not rule that the final USPS requirements were legal.
Once USPS issued its final rule, states and voting rights organizations were able to challenge the actual rule.
Why is the USPS rule blocked again?
After USPS finalized its rule, Michigan and other states and several voting rights organizations went back to court.
The blocked requirements include mandatory use of the new ballot-mail system and provisions that could allow USPS to refuse outgoing ballot mail that does not meet the new requirements.
The administration appealed.
Judge Talwani then held another hearing on September 3 to decide whether to replace the temporary order with a longer-lasting court order.
What happened at the September 3 hearing?
One major question at the hearing was simple: Is USPS ready to use the new system?
The judge also asked how thousands of election offices could get USPS approval for their ballot materials in such a short amount of time.
She gave the government until later September 3 to provide additional information and said she intended to issue her decision as quickly as possible.
As of September 3, Judge Talwani has not issued that new ruling. The existing temporary court order remains in effect.
The administration has gone back to the Supreme Court
While Judge Talwani considers whether to issue a longer-term injunction, the Trump administration has again asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.
This is not the same Supreme Court request the Court decided on August 24.
The August case involved the earlier challenge brought before USPS had finalized its rule.
The new Supreme Court request involves a court order issued after USPS finalized its rule and the rule was challenged directly.
For now, the existing court order remains in effect and the key USPS requirements remain blocked.
There are other lawsuits too
The cases before Judge Talwani in Massachusetts are not the only challenges.
Separate lawsuits filed earlier this year in Washington, D.C., are also continuing. Like the Massachusetts cases, some of those cases were originally considered too early because USPS had not yet issued a final rule.
Now that the final rule exists, the groups challenging it are asking courts to decide whether USPS has the legal power to impose these requirements.
That is why you may see different headlines involving different judges, lawsuits, organizations, or states. They are separate cases involving many of the same federal actions.
Could USPS put the new rule in place before November?
That question is still unanswered.
A federal whistleblower has alleged that development of the Federal Ballot Mail Portal was rushed and that normal testing and development procedures were shortened. USPS has disputed allegations that it violated court orders while developing the system and says its work has complied with the courts.
Some states begin sending absentee ballots on September 4.
Michigan absentee ballots must be available beginning September 24.
And at the September 3 hearing, the Justice Department could not tell the judge whether the federal portal at the center of the new system was ready to launch.
So there are two separate questions:
Will courts allow the rule to take effect?
And, if they do:
Could USPS and election officials put the new system in place in time for the November election?
What happens next?
Several court proceedings are now moving at the same time.
Judge Talwani is expected to decide whether to issue a longer-term court order keeping the USPS requirements blocked.
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the administration’s separate request to lift that temporary order while the appeal continues.
Other challenges to the final rule are continuing in federal court in Washington, D.C.
The legal status may therefore change again.
VAAC will continue following these cases and explaining what they mean for Michigan voters.
For Michigan voters, the message remains the same
The federal court cases are complicated. Your voting options in Michigan are not.
If you want an absentee ballot, request one now. If you are already on Michigan’s permanent mail ballot list, your clerk will send your ballot when ballots become available.
When you receive your absentee ballot, follow the instructions carefully and sign the return envelope.
If you return your ballot by mail, send it as early as possible and use mi.gov/vote to track whether your clerk has received it.
If you do not want to return your ballot through the mail, you can use an official drop box, deliver it directly to your clerk, or bring it to your assigned early voting site during early voting.
Michigan voters can also vote early in person or at their polling place on Election Day.
The federal court fight is about new requirements for how USPS would handle ballot mail. It has not taken away Michigan voters’ right to vote absentee or any of the other voting options available under Michigan law.
Visit mi.gov/vote to request or track an absentee ballot, check your registration, find your clerk, locate a ballot drop box or early voting site, and find other information about voting in Michigan.
Published: September 3, 2026.
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