2026年8月30日 美国东部时间8:20 / 福克斯新闻
第四巡回上诉法院表示，该州不得为65岁以上选民提供无条件缺席投票权，同时限制年轻选民的投票权
作者：安德斯·哈格斯托姆，福克斯新闻
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上周，南卡罗来纳州一家联邦法院裁定，该州的邮寄投票规则违反了宪法。
第四巡回上诉法院的裁决涉及南卡罗来纳州的邮寄选票法律及其针对65岁以上选民的相关优待条款。
通常情况下，申请邮寄选票的选民必须满足特定条件，例如在提前投票期间身处国外或身有残疾。
**最高法院就选举日后收到的邮寄选票相关判决
一张2020年美国大选的缺席选票。周二，一名联邦法官阻止美国邮政总局无法执行特朗普总统在2026年中期选举前收紧邮寄投票规则的行政令部分内容。（卡罗琳·布雷曼/CQ滚球公司 盖蒂图片社 资料图）
不过，该州法律取消了所有65岁以上选民的上述要求，第四巡回上诉法院的裁决认定该条款违宪。
美国巡回上诉法院首席法官罗杰·格雷戈里在裁决书中写道：“该州为65岁及以上选民赋予无条件的邮寄缺席投票权，却要求年轻选民满足资格类别、文件证明和严格的截止日期才能获得同等投票选项，仅基于年龄就不平等地分配投票机会。
这起案件源于2023年一群年轻选民起诉南卡罗来纳州选举委员会，称该规则违反了第二十六修正案。
一名选民在投票点填写选票。（格雷姆·斯隆/彭博社 盖蒂图片社
下级法院最初驳回了他们的诉求，但案件继续上诉，最终提交至第四巡回上诉法院。
联邦上诉法院驳回特朗普在中期选举前强制执行邮寄选票行政令的诉求
新的裁决将案件发回下级法院，并就如何审理案件给出了具体指示。格雷戈里指出，要么所有南卡罗来纳州选民都有权不受限制地进行缺席投票，要么任何选民都不得享有这项权利。
不过，这一问题不太可能就此终结，南卡罗来纳州相关代表表示，他们计划进一步上诉，甚至可能将案件提交至最高法院。
**纽瑟姆承诺在特朗普在邮寄投票案中赢得最高法院胜利后发起新的法律斗争
就在该裁决发布的同一周，美国最高法院就特朗普限制全国邮寄选票的举措作出了基本有利的裁决。
【图片：犹他州普罗沃——10月26日：犹他县选举工作人员在选举办公室整理选票，这些选票是从美国邮政局取回，将于2020年10月26日在犹他州普罗沃进行处理。犹他州是近期将总统选举改为全邮寄投票的州之一。（乔治·弗雷/盖蒂图片社）
前白宫副法律顾问吉恩·汉密尔顿表示，美国邮政总局等联邦机构现在可以推进特朗普选举诚信行政令的相关内容，包括新的选票邮寄标准以及涉及州公民身份名单的相关工作，反对的州正等待哪些具体的联邦行动可能成为新诉讼的依据。
**点击此处下载福克斯新闻APP
预计该领域也将出现更多诉讼。
安德斯·哈格斯托姆是福克斯新闻数字频道的记者，负责报道全国政治和重大突发新闻事件。
South Carolina mail-in voting law illegally discriminates, appeals court rules
August 30, 2026 8:20am EDT / Fox News
4th Circuit said the state cannot grant voters over 65 unconditional absentee ballot access while restricting younger voters
By Anders Hagstrom, Fox News
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A federal court in South Carolina ruled that the state’s rules for mail-in-voting violated the constitution last week.
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling relates to South Carolina’s mail-in ballot laws and certain allowances it makes for voters over the age of 65.
Typically, voters looking to send mail-in ballots must meet certain criteria, such as being out of the country during the early voting period or being disabled.
SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY
An absentee ballot for the 2020 U.S. election. A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the U.S. Postal Service from implementing part of President Donald Trump’s executive order tightening mail-in voting rules ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.(Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, File)
A state law removed those requirements for all voters over the age of 65, however, and the fourth circuit’s ruling found that provision to be unconstitutional.
“By granting voters aged sixty-five and older unconditional access to absentee-by-mail voting while conditioning that same option for younger voters on eligibility categories, documentation, and a rigid deadline, the state allocates voting opportunities unequally based solely on age,” U.S. Circuit Chief Judge Roger Gregory wrote in the order.
The case arose after a group of younger voters sued the South Carolina Elections Commission in 2023, arguing the rule violated the 26th Amendment.
A voter casts their ballot at a polling location.(Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A lower court initially dismissed their argument, but the case continued on appeal until it appeared before the Fourth Circuit.
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT REJECTS TRUMP BID TO ENFORCE MAIL BALLOT ORDER AHEAD OF MIDTERM ELECTIONS
The new ruling sends the case back to lower courts with specific instructions on how to decide the case. Gregory wrote that either all South Carolina voters must be entitled to vote absentee without restrictions, or none of them can be.
That is unlikely to be the end of the question, however, as representatives of South Carolina say they plan to appeal further, potentially reaching the Supreme Court.
NEWSOM PROMISES NEW LEGAL FIGHT AFTER TRUMP GETS SUPREME COURT VICTORY ON MAIL-IN VOTING
The order came the same week that the U.S. Supreme Court issued a largely favorable ruling for President Donald Trump’s effort to limit mail-in ballots across the country.
PROVO, UT – OCTOBER 26: Utah County Election workers stack ballots in the election office that were picked up at a United States Postal Service office to be processed on October 26, 2020 in Provo, Utah. Utah is one of several states that has recently moved to mail-in ballots for presidential elections. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
Former White House deputy counsel Gene Hamilton said federal agencies such as the Postal Service can now move forward with parts of Trump’s election-integrity order, including new ballot-mail standards and efforts involving state citizenship lists, as opposing states wait to see which concrete federal actions could form the basis of new lawsuits.
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Further litigation is expected on that front as well.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events.
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