Federal Judge Blocks Donald Trump-Backed USPS Mail-In Voting Rules Ahead of 2026 Midterms

A U.S. federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from implementing controversial new mail-in voting rules ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a 49-page ruling extending an earlier temporary emergency order, freezing administrative rules backed by the Trump administration. The court ruled that the Postal Service exceeded its constitutional authority by attempting to impose administrative requirements on state election programs while ballot distribution is already under way. Donald Trump Targets 'jihadists' in US Midterm Election Pitch.

Constitutional Authority Over State Elections

In her ruling, Judge Talwani emphasized that the U.S. Constitution grants election administration powers to Congress and individual state governments, rather than federal agencies.

"Unauthorized by the Elections Clause, the Final Rule clashes with Congress's statutory scheme, and is unconstitutional where it intrudes not only on Congress's Elections Clause powers but also that power left to the States," Talwani wrote. The court noted that forcing election officials to implement complex logistics changes while voting is already under way would cause severe administrative disruption and potential voter disenfranchisement. Trump Administration Moves US Supreme Court to Allow Sweeping Changes to Mail Ballots.

Proposed USPS Mandates Under Fire

The blocked regulations stem from a March executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The USPS plan included three major overhauls:

• Envelope Redesigns: Mandating unique, trackable barcodes on all ballot envelopes, despite millions of standard envelopes already being printed by state officials.

• Central Tracking Portals: Requiring election offices to submit voter personal data into an unverified central USPS tracking database.

• Postal Inspection Rules: Directing postal workers to inspect ballot packaging and reject non-compliant mail, raising concerns that valid votes could be turned away.

Timeliness and Supreme Court Appeal

The injunction comes at a critical moment as several states begin sending absentee and mail-in ballots. North Carolina began mailing ballots to military and overseas voters on Friday, while municipal clerks in Wisconsin have already dispatched mail packages to electors.

Anticipating the ruling, Department of Justice attorneys bypassed standard appellate procedures on Thursday to request emergency intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the USPS regulations before November.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2026 12:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).