A federal judge in Boston on Tuesday blocked the United States Postal Service from enforcing a nationwide restriction on mail-in voting ordered under President Donald Trump's executive order, expanding a previous injunction to all 50 states less than three months before November midterm elections.
US District Judge Indira Talwani issued the preliminary injunction against a rule that would have required states to submit approved voter lists before USPS delivered ballots, ruling that the federal government lacks authority to regulate elections and that such power resides primarily with individual states. The case was brought by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and other voting rights groups. Talwani had previously blocked the rule in 23 mostly Democratic-led states and Washington DC in June.
Trump signed Executive Order 14399 on March 31, directing USPS to deliver mail ballots only to voters appearing on state-submitted lists, with non-compliant states facing refused deliveries. Plaintiffs argued USPS had no legal basis for such refusals.