Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s New Mail-Voting Rules

By Staff, Agencies

A federal judge in Massachusetts has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from enforcing new restrictions on mail-in and absentee voting ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.

Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the United States Postal Service [USPS] exceeded its authority by attempting to impose requirements governing the “time, place, and manner” of elections. She said the US Constitution’s Elections Clause gives those powers to Congress and the states, rather than the executive branch.

The judge also warned that requiring states to redesign ballot envelopes and submit voter information through a new digital system just weeks before the November 3 election could result in widespread disenfranchisement.

Under the policy introduced following President Donald Trump’s executive order, the USPS could have refused to process or transmit ballots that failed to meet the new requirements. The court said this could have put millions of voters at risk of having their ballots rejected.

Talwani noted that many smaller and rural election jurisdictions do not have the technology needed to produce the specialized barcodes required under the policy. She also pointed out that the proposed digital portal was not yet operational.

The judge further said the government had provided no evidence of widespread fraudulent mail voting that would justify such a significant change to existing procedures.

The injunction prevents the USPS from refusing to transmit mail-in or absentee ballots solely because they fail to comply with the newly introduced requirements.

Although the Trump administration has repeatedly called for stricter voting rules, the court also rejected its request to suspend the injunction while the case continues.