Supreme Court Leaves Oregon Vote-By-Mail System In Place For November Election

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon’s vote-by-mail system will remain unchanged for the November election after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to allow new federal restrictions on mailed ballots to take effect.

The court on Monday rejected an emergency request from the Trump administration to lift a lower-court injunction blocking new U.S. Postal Service requirements ahead of the 2026 midterm election. The decision leaves the injunction in place while the broader legal challenge continues. It does not represent a final ruling on the legality of the proposed requirements.

The proposed rules would have required states to provide the Postal Service with information about voters receiving mail ballots and use approved ballot-envelope designs with unique barcodes. Ballots that did not meet those requirements could have been rejected by the Postal Service.

State and local election officials argued that implementing the changes so close to the election could disrupt ballot delivery and prevent eligible voters from having their ballots counted.

With the Supreme Court declining to intervene, Oregon election officials can continue preparing for the election under the state’s existing vote-by-mail procedures.

“Oregon will vote-by-mail in the November election. Eligible voters should plan to return their ballots via secure drop box or mail them back at least seven days early,” Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said.

“This is a victory for Oregonians, the right to vote, and the rule of law,” Read said. “This provides voters and elections officials with the certainty they need ahead of a major federal election, and it sends a clear message to this country: Presidents don’t run elections, the people do.”

Oregon’s general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 13, and counties are scheduled to begin mailing ballots Oct. 14, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.

Voters can check or update their registration, find ballot drop-box information and learn more about voting through the Secretary of State’s website.