Federal Judge Blocks Postal Service Regulation on Mail-in Ballots

A federal judge on Thursday blocked a Postal Service regulation that would have affected mail-in ballots ahead of the midterm elections. The regulation was part of President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at tracking mail-in ballots and potentially rejecting those submitted by individuals not on a federal list of eligible voters. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, based in Boston, ruled in favor of the League of Women Voters and other groups, stating that the regulation is likely unlawful as the president cannot involve the federal government in elections without Congressional authorization. The ruling means that part of the executive order will remain blocked for at least 14 days, creating time constraints ahead of the November election. New York Attorney General Letitia James commented that the rule represents an attempt by the federal government to interfere in elections. Talwani noted that the administration had not provided evidence of fraudulent absentee or mail-in voting. She expressed concern that the government's efforts to address an unsubstantiated problem could lead to widespread disenfranchisement. Talwani also indicated that states would not have sufficient time or resources to comply with the requirements set forth by the Trump administration. In a separate ruling, Talwani lifted an earlier injunction that had blocked other elements of Trump's executive order. The Supreme Court recently found that Talwani had acted too quickly in her previous ruling but did not address the legality of the executive order or the Postal Service regulation. While the regulation is currently blocked, a provision requiring the Department of Homeland Security to compile lists of eligible voters remains in effect.