Court Blocks Trump Order's USPS Mail-Ballot Provision

A federal district court in Massachusetts issued a temporary order Tuesday blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing part of President Donald Trump's 2026 executive order on mail-in voting.

The same court had already blocked other portions of the order in June, covering 23 states and Washington, D.C. Those provisions involved the Department of Homeland Security's compilation of a federal voter citizenship list, a requirement that states submit voter registration lists to the Postal Service, and a mandate to print ballots that can be easily tracked.

Both injunctions apply only to the November 3 midterm elections while litigation continues. In each case, the court indicated the administration likely exceeded its authority by attempting to impose election requirements on states, which have primary responsibility under law for regulating voting.

Both cases are expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court soon, which will effectively decide whether Trump can put the order into effect for the November elections.

Standing remains a central legal question in both disputes. The administration argues that neither the states nor a coalition of nonpartisan voting rights groups has suffered a concrete injury from the executive order sufficient to allow a legal challenge.

The Trump administration has already appealed the states' case to the Supreme Court, seeking permission to move forward with the order. A decision on that appeal could come as soon as this week.