Trump Administration Appeals Judge's Block on Mail Voting Restrictions

The Trump administration filed an appeal on Friday challenging a federal judge’s decision that stopped the implementation of a presidential executive order restricting mail voting before the upcoming midterm elections. The order, issued by President Donald Trump, would have required the U.S. Postal Service to refuse delivery of ballots from states that failed to provide voter eligibility lists and use a uniform envelope design.

The Boston district court ruled that states lack the time and resources to redesign ballots, update systems and train officials to meet the new Postal Service requirements before the first mail ballots are scheduled to be mailed on Sept. 4. The judge said the short timeline would impose undue burdens on election officials.

The White House described the order as a set of “commonsense measures” intended to protect ballot security and called the injunction “unreasoned and unlawful.”

The case will be heard by the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, with the possibility of further review by the Supreme Court. Democrats and voting-rights groups have filed additional lawsuits, arguing that election rules are the domain of states and, in some instances, Congress, not the president or the Postal Service.

Election officials note that nearly one-third of American voters cast ballots by mail, and they warn that the limited time may hinder compliance with the proposed Postal Service directives.