Court Halts Trump-Backed Mail-In Voting Rule

A U.S. appeals court has blocked the Trump administration's attempt to enforce a new U.S. Postal Service rule tightening mail-in voting. The decision comes as the Supreme Court considers a similar request, following claims of potential voter disenfranchisement and constitutional violations.

A U.S. appeals court has decided against allowing the Trump administration's effort to implement a stringent U.S. Postal Service rule aimed at tightening mail-in voting requirements before the congressional election. This ruling arrives as the U.S. Supreme Court considers the administration's request to enforce the new rule.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, refused to stay an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani. Her decision, made on behalf of voting rights groups and Democratic-led states, blocks the USPS from enforcing the rule, which was created under President Trump's directive.

The proposed rule required states to provide USPS with lists of mail ballot recipients and specified the use of barcodes on ballot envelopes. Concerns were raised about potential voter disenfranchisement and state election authority violations, leading to a whistleblower's allegations of a hastily implemented system that could disrupt ballots during the election.