Federal Judge Blocks Postal Service Mail-In Voting Restrictions

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston on Tuesday blocked the USPS from enforcing Trump's mail-in voting executive order nationwide. The order would have let USPS refuse to deliver ballots from states that did not submit eligible voter lists.

• Trump signed the executive order in March 2026, citing election security concerns.
• June's earlier ruling blocked portions of the order in 23 states and Washington, D.C.
• Both injunctions apply only through the November 3 midterm elections.
• Conservative justices hold a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court, which has not yet ruled.

Why it matters: Talwani ruled the executive branch has no constitutional authority to regulate elections — that power belongs to individual states.

• Control of Congress is at stake in the November 3 midterm elections affected by the ruling.

How 10 sources split on this story

Where they split: The core dispute is whether the executive order unconstitutionally inserts federal authority into state-controlled election administration, or whether challenging it is premature before agencies finalize implementation.

What’s next: The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on the administration's appeal of the June injunction.

• That ruling will determine whether Trump's order can take effect before the November elections.
• Will the Supreme Court reinstate the executive order before November 3?
• Do states or voting rights groups have legal standing to challenge the order — an unresolved question in both cases?