Politics
Federal Judge Weighs Extending Block on Trump’s Mail-Voting Changes Ahead of Midterms
A federal judge in Boston is considering whether to extend a temporary order preventing the U.S. Postal Service from implementing a new system for han...
By Wavers Multimedia
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani is hearing arguments Thursday on whether to issue a preliminary injunction that would continue blocking the Postal Service from requiring states to comply with the new mail-balloting requirements.
The dispute comes at a critical point in the election calendar. Talwani issued a 14-day temporary restraining order last week, but that order is set to expire as states begin preparing to send mail ballots to voters. North Carolina is scheduled to begin mailing requested ballots on Friday.
The changes are linked to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. Under the administration's plan, the Postal Service would have the ability to reject or refuse to deliver ballots from states that fail to meet certain requirements, including submitting lists of voters receiving mail ballots and following a standardized design for ballot envelopes.
Opponents of the policy, including Democratic officials and voting-rights groups, argue that the federal government does not have the authority to impose such election requirements on states. They contend that the Constitution gives states, and in some circumstances Congress, authority over election procedures.
Election officials have also raised practical concerns about the timing of the changes. Many jurisdictions have already printed their ballots and envelopes and would have little time to modify their systems and materials before mail voting begins.
The Postal Service's online portal for states to submit voter information was reportedly still not operational earlier this week, adding to concerns about whether election offices could comply with the requirements in time.
A whistleblower disclosure has further complicated the situation. The whistleblower alleged that the Postal Service has been developing the computer system under significant time pressure and warned that strict barcode requirements could result in large batches of ballots being rejected because of a single error.
The administration maintains that the changes are limited and lawful. It has also appealed Talwani's temporary order, meaning the legal fight could continue through the federal appeals courts and potentially return to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had previously considered the dispute but did not rule on the legality of Trump's executive order. Instead, the justices determined that Talwani's earlier decision had come before the Postal Service had formally issued regulations implementing the order. The agency subsequently published the regulations, prompting opponents to renew their legal challenge.
With mail ballots already being prepared in several states, Thursday's hearing could determine whether the Postal Service's new requirements remain blocked as the country moves closer to the November midterm elections.
For now, Judge Talwani's decision remains pending, leaving election officials and voting-rights groups watching closely as the legal battle over the administration's mail-voting policy continues.