The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court on Saturday seeking to reinstate restrictions on mail-in ballots that had been blocked by lower federal courts. The application asks the justices to act quickly, with election deadlines approaching in several states.

Lower courts had ruled against the administration's effort to impose the restrictions, which critics argue would make it harder for eligible voters to cast ballots by mail. The administration contends the rules are necessary to ensure election integrity and that courts overstepped in blocking them.

The appeal represents at least the second time the Trump administration has brought mail ballot-related litigation to the Supreme Court in recent months, reflecting a broader pattern of using emergency applications to bypass lower court rulings on voting policy. The Court has not yet indicated whether it will take up the case on an expedited basis.

Voting rights advocates warned that granting the administration's request could disenfranchise voters who rely on mail balloting, including military personnel, elderly citizens, and those with disabilities. Administration officials maintain the restrictions are consistent with federal law and protect the integrity of the electoral process.