Sept. 14 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting for the upcoming midterm elections.

Last week, in an emergency application, Trump asked the court a third time to allow the restrictions before the Nov. 3 elections and block a lower court ruling that said the new rules are mostly likely against the law.

In its brief ruling Monday, the court said the administration is “unlikely to succeed on the merits of its challenge to theDistrict Court’s preliminary injunction.” The court split 7-2, with Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissenting.

The new rules would give the U.S. Postal Service unprecedented power to withhold mail-in ballots. States would have to submit lists of eligible voters to the agency, which would then have to verify that the ballots were being sent to those on the lists before they sent them. There also were mandated codes on ballot envelopes that can be scanned and linked to voter identities.

Voter advocates have said the changes could lead to mass disenfranchisement and chaos, especially with the midterms less than two months away. Last week, a whistleblower said the USPS was secretly implementing the new policies despite the court order. They said the system for checking ballots was very flawed and could disenfranchise large numbers of voters.

Trump issued an executive order in March mandating the Postal Service changes. The president has targeted mail-in voting for years, saying it leads to massive voter fraud despite no evidence of such. He has continued to vote by mail himself.