A federal judge has blocked the US Postal Service (USPS) from implementing a portion of Donald Trump’s executive order, which sought to tighten rules for mail-in voting. The order was intended to be in effect ahead of the November midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.
The ruling was issued by US District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston on Tuesday. It expands upon an earlier order she made in June, which had prevented the Trump administration from implementing the order in 23 states, primarily those led by Democrats.
Voting rights groups had urged Judge Talwani to extend the block nationwide, preventing the USPS from implementing a proposed rule that would require states to provide voter lists and adopt new balloting procedures before the mail agency would deliver ballots. Under the proposed rule, the USPS would have refused to deliver ballots if states did not comply, a refusal which plaintiffs contended would lack legal basis.