US court blocks postal service from enforcing mail voting limits
A Boston federal judge extended a block on the US Postal Service implementing an executive order limiting mail voting, as states start sending ballots.
A federal judge in Boston has extended a legal block preventing the U.S. Postal Service from carrying out an executive order by President Donald Trump that sought to restrict mail-in voting for the upcoming midterm elections. The ruling, issued on Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, replaces an earlier temporary order that was set to expire on September 10.
The preliminary injunction adds another hurdle for the administration as the election season begins. North Carolina became the first state to send out mail ballots on Friday, with several other states expected to follow in the coming days. The timing leaves little room for the administration to implement major changes to voting procedures before ballots are distributed.
The Trump administration had already appealed the earlier restraining order, and it is likely that the new injunction will be folded into that ongoing appeal. The case highlights the legal and logistical tensions surrounding voting methods as the midterms approach.