Federal judge blocks USPS mail-voting rule ahead of midterms
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary injunction stopping the Postal Service from enforcing new mail-ballot requirements for the November elections, citing likely constitutional issues and lack of congressional authority.
A federal judge in Washington issued a 14-day injunction on Thursday halting the U.S. Postal Service’s newly issued rule that would impose design and reporting requirements on mail ballots for the upcoming November midterm elections. The order follows a lawsuit filed by a coalition of about two dozen states, the District of Columbia and voting-rights groups, which argue that Congress has not granted the Postal Service authority to set election-related standards and that the rule likely violates the Constitution.
Judge Indira Talwani wrote that the states would suffer "irreparable harm" if forced to comply with a regulation that is "practically impossible" to implement before the November vote, noting that many states have already printed ballots and must send them to voters within weeks. She added that the states lack the time and resources to redesign ballots, obtain approvals, produce new materials, update election systems, train officials and upload voter data to the Postal Service’s portal.
The Justice Department indicated it will appeal the injunction, arguing that the rule merely adds modest informational requirements and does not override state election laws. The department also warned that a temporary block could create a rushed implementation if the rule later takes effect.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the plaintiffs, said the rule represents an "attempt by the federal government to interfere in elections it has no power to control" and praised the court’s decision.
The dispute stems from an executive order signed by President Trump in March that sought to limit mail voting, a measure the administration has claimed is needed to prevent fraud despite lacking supporting evidence. The Postal Service’s final rule includes requirements such as barcode-tracked envelopes and an online portal for states to submit lists of intended mail-ballot recipients, while stating it will not determine voter eligibility or count ballots.
The Supreme Court earlier this week declined to hear a separate case challenging the same executive order, leaving the lower-court injunction as the primary legal barrier to the Postal Service’s rule ahead of the midterms.