SCOTUS: Election Emergency Applications Mount, Missouri Map Denied

• The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow the use of a DHS database to identify noncitizens on state voter rolls.
• Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri's request to use its new congressional map for midterm elections, though a federal judge later ordered the state to use it.
• The Trump administration appealed a dispute over President Trump’s mail-in voting executive order to the Supreme Court, with a response due today.
• New USPS rules for mail-in voting, requiring voter data and special envelopes, remain blocked, and the Supreme Court is considering pausing that ruling.
• Lonnie Bunch announced his departure from the Smithsonian Institution leadership on Tuesday, following a tumultuous year and a critical White House report.

These applications highlight the judiciary's critical role in resolving electoral challenges as deadlines approach.

The Supreme Court is currently facing a series of urgent requests related to the upcoming midterm elections, with several significant applications landing on its interim docket. On Tuesday, the Trump administration formally asked the high court to authorize its use of the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. The administration's objective is to leverage this system to identify noncitizens who may be present on state voter registration lists.

Concurrently, Justice Brett Kavanaugh issued a denial on Tuesday regarding a request from Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins. Hoskins had sought to clear the path for Missouri to implement its newly drawn congressional map for the impending midterm elections. This decision by Justice Kavanaugh prevents the state from immediately using the contested map.

Adding to the election-related activity, the Trump administration, on Sunday, once again brought before the Supreme Court a contentious dispute concerning President Donald Trump’s executive order on mail-in voting. A response to this latest appeal from the administration is anticipated by 4 p.m. EDT today. These applications highlight the judiciary's critical role in resolving electoral challenges as deadlines approach.

The Supreme Court's refusal to allow Missouri's new congressional map to proceed has plunged the state's electoral preparations into further disarray. Justice Kavanaugh's decision effectively upheld a lower court ruling that had blocked the map, which was specifically designed to secure an additional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Republicans. However, mere moments after this development, a federal judge presiding over a separate but related case issued a contradictory order, directing Missouri to adopt the very same "GOP-friendly map" that Justice Kavanaugh had just prevented from being used.

This conflicting directive was swiftly appealed to a higher court, creating a scenario where the ultimate legal status of Missouri’s congressional map remains highly uncertain. The Supreme Court could eventually be called upon to intervene again in this ongoing legal battle. These rulings emerged precisely as Missouri is in the final stages of preparing its electoral slates for November and is gearing up to dispatch mail-in ballots to its voters. Despite the judicial back-and-forth, state leaders affirmed on Tuesday their intention to proceed with the "GOP-friendly map."

The ongoing legal battle surrounding President Donald Trump’s executive order on mail-in voting centers on new regulations proposed by the U.S. Postal Service for states that permit voting by mail. These rules, which mandate that states provide voter data to the USPS and utilize specialized envelopes for ballots, continue to be blocked as of Tuesday. The Supreme Court is currently deliberating whether to issue a pause on the ruling that has prevented these new requirements from being implemented.

Groups challenging the executive order contend that the proposed plan infringes upon the constitutional division of powers. They argue that the responsibility for overseeing elections rests with individual states and Congress, not with the executive branch. The window for implementing these new USPS rules before the midterm elections is rapidly closing. Two states, North Carolina and Delaware, have already commenced the process of mailing out ballots, and an additional sixteen states are scheduled to distribute their ballots within the next two weeks, underscoring the urgency of the court's consideration.

Beyond the immediate election-related emergency applications, other significant developments have unfolded. On this day in 1806, Justice William Paterson, a figure who was recently the subject of a "Closer Look" feature, passed away. Separately, discussions are underway regarding potential reforms to the Supreme Court's argument format. As the 2026-27 term approaches, with its first oral arguments on the horizon, justices are reportedly contemplating whether the current structure requires an update. Chief Justice John Roberts has recently commented on the excessive length of contemporary arguments, prompting NPR to report on various reform possibilities. Many observers of the court believe that finding an easy solution is unlikely. Former acting U.S. Solicitor General Jeff Wall remarked in July that addressing this issue is challenging, likening it to trying to make someone stop talking on a conference call.

In other institutional news, Lonnie Bunch announced on Tuesday his departure from the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution. This decision follows a turbulent year marked by President Donald Trump's efforts to reshape the portrayal of U.S. history by the Smithsonian museums and other cultural entities. Bunch's resignation comes two months after a White House report characterized leaders within the Smithsonian Institution, particularly at the National Museum of American History, as "radical activists" who could not be trusted. His departure also occurs amidst speculation that President Trump intends to seek further dismissals.

Source: Original reporting via The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Associated Press.