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This week: the Supreme Court is once again being asked to weigh in on new rules to vote by mail; U.S. envoys shuttle between Moscow and Kyiv in search of an end to the war; and a far-right political party in Germany scores its biggest election win yet.

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Story 1: The Supreme Court Has to Decide (Again) How You’ll Vote by Mail

On Sunday, the Trump administration went back to the Supreme Court, asking it to let new rules to vote by mail take effect before the November midterms. Right now, those rules are on hold after a federal judge stopped USPS from enforcing them on Friday.

But let’s back up. This all started when President Trump signed an executive order in March calling for changes to how mail-in ballots are handled. Among them—states would have to give the U.S. Postal Service lists of people receiving mail-in ballots, and put special barcodes on ballot envelopes. USPS could refuse to deliver ballots that don’t follow the new requirements.

Several states and voting-rights groups sued to stop the changes, arguing the president and USPS don’t have the power to make new election rules like this. The administration says USPS does have the authority to set these requirements.

Then came the confusing part: On August 24, the Supreme Court lifted an earlier block, allowing the administration to move forward. But SCOTUS did not decide whether the rules themselves were legal. Once USPS finalized the actual rules, the challengers went back to court — and a federal judge put them on hold again.

Which brings us back to Sunday. The administration is asking SCOTUS to step in again and let the new rules take effect while the court fight continues. And the clock is ticking; North Carolina has already started mailing ballots, with more states about to follow.

Context and Background: Voting by Mail

What Does This Rule Actually Do?

Back in March, President Trump signed an order to tighten the rules for voting by mail. Acting on that order, the U.S. Postal Service adopted a new rule—but courts have so far stopped USPS from enforcing its key requirements.

Under the rule, states would have to give USPS a list of everyone receiving a mail-in ballot. They would also have to put special tracking barcodes on ballot envelopes. If a state didn’t do those things, USPS could refuse to deliver its ballots.

USPS says the goal is to make it easier for law enforcement to spot possible fraud. It also says states would still decide who is allowed to vote—but USPS would decide whether a ballot meets its new delivery rules.

How Did We Get Here?

This fight has been moving through the courts for months. Democratic-led states and voting-rights groups sued to stop the rule. They argue that the federal government doesn’t have the power to make these changes—and that eligible voters could end up not receiving their ballots.

A Boston-based federal judge agreed and blocked the rule. The administration argued that this is technically a rule about delivering mail—not running elections. The judge wasn’t buying it, writing that the argument “rings hollow.”

She also said the government had not presented evidence of widespread fraud involving mail-in voting. The Trump administration disagrees and has now asked the Supreme Court to let the rule take effect anyway.

Who’s Actually on What Side Here?

This isn’t just a simple Democrat-versus-Republican fight. Twenty-three Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., along with voting-rights groups like the League of Women Voters, are trying to stop the rule.

They argue that the federal government is stepping into an area controlled by the states—and that legitimate ballots could be rejected or delayed because of paperwork or barcode problems.

Republican-led states, including Alabama and Missouri, have defended the rule. They say it’s a reasonable way to make mail-in voting more secure and increase trust in elections without taking control away from the states.

That’s also the Trump administration’s argument. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the Supreme Court that the rule doesn’t take over state elections—it simply creates “reasonable preparation requirements” for ballots sent through the mail.

Voting-rights groups strongly disagree. The ACLU says the rule is likely unconstitutional and could prevent eligible voters from receiving their ballots.

Why is Everyone in Such a Hurry?

Because Election Day isn’t moving—and some states, including North Carolina, have already started mailing ballots.

Normally, a court fight like this could take months. But states need to know the rules now so they can send out millions of mail-in ballots on time.

That’s why the Trump administration keeps asking the Supreme Court to step in quickly instead of waiting for the case to slowly work its way through the courts.

Why You Should Care About How You’ll Vote by Mail

Even if you don’t vote by mail, this fight is about something much bigger: Who gets to make the rules for American elections? The states? Congress? Or a federal agency following the president’s orders?

And unofficially, it has also become a red-versus-blue fight. Democratic-led states say the rule could keep eligible voters from receiving ballots. Republican-led states say it’s a reasonable safeguard that could make elections more secure.

And if you—or someone you love—votes by mail, the outcome could directly affect whether their ballot arrives on time this November.

What to Follow Next

• Whether the Supreme Court rules before the Wednesday, Sept. 9 deadline it set for challengers to respond
• Whether more states start mailing ballots while the legal fight is still unresolved
• How the Court explains its reasoning, if and when it rules — that will shape future election disputes, not just this one
• Whether other states join either side of the lawsuit as the midterms get closer
• How election officials on the ground say they’re handling the uncertainty

I hope you’ll join me on Substack! Click here to read the rest of this post, including my in-depth analysis of two more recent stories from the news.