A federal appeals court has refused to let the Trump administration enforce a new United States Postal Service (USPS) rule regarding mail-in voting ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
On September 10, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld an injunction from Judge Indira Talwani that blocks key parts of the USPS rule published on August 26.
The injunction aims to safeguard mail-in voting for the November 3 elections by preventing changes that could affect how ballots are processed.
Judge Talwani stated the rule could disenfranchise voters and likely violates the Constitution, which grants states control over federal elections.
The judge emphasized that the USPS lacks the authority to enforce the rule, noting no evidence supports claims of fraudulent mail-in voting.
The ruling faced legal challenges from advocacy groups and Democrat-led states, which argue the rule would hinder voting access. Conversely, some Republican states supported the rule, claiming it would ensure election integrity.
The appeals court agreed with the district court's reasoning that the USPS’s rule improperly regulates the manner of federal elections, which only Congress and states can do.
The Trump administration's request to implement the USPS rule is currently pending before the Supreme Court following this appeals court decision.
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