(WASHINGTON) — A federal district court in Massachusetts on Tuesday issued a temporary order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Donald Trump’s 2026 executive order on mail-in voting.
The same court in June blocked other portions of Trump’s order in 23 states and Washington, D.C., related to the Department of Homeland Security’s compilation of a federal voter citizenship list and requirement that states submit voter registration lists to the USPS, in addition to printing ballots that can be easily tracked.
Both injunctions apply only to the Nov. 3 midterm elections as litigation continues. Both indicated that the administration likely exceeded its authority in attempting to impose election requirements on states, which have the primary responsibility under law for regulating voting.
Both cases are likely to be addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court very soon. The court will essentially decide whether Trump can implement the order for the November elections.
The issue of standing remains a key question in both cases. The administration alleges that neither the states nor the coalition of nonpartisan voting rights groups has suffered concrete injury from the executive order that would allow them to challenge it.
The Trump administration has already appealed the states’ case to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking permission to move forward. That decision could come down at any time, as soon as this week.
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