Court Blocks Trump-Era Postal Rule Ahead of US Midterms

By Mintesinot Nigussie  |  September 18, 2026

A US federal court has blocked a new United States Postal Service rule that would have introduced new requirements for mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Postal Service exceeded its legal authority by attempting to overhaul mail-voting procedures nationwide. The ruling prevents the agency from enforcing the rule for the 2026 midterm elections.

The rule, issued following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March, would have required state and local election officials to meet new technical requirements when sending ballots through the mail.

Under the rule, the Postal Service could have refused to deliver ballot mail from election officials that did not meet the new requirements.

Campaign Legal Center and Democracy Defenders Fund challenged the rule on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens, Secure Families Initiative, Arizona Students’ Association, the City of Madison, Wisconsin, and Travis County, Texas.

The groups argued that the changes would have been difficult for election officials to implement before the November election and could have created confusion for voters and administrators.

The decision follows a separate preliminary injunction issued by a federal court in Massachusetts that also blocked implementation of the Postal Service rule. An appeal of that ruling is pending before the US Supreme Court.

Pooja Chaudhuri, senior counsel and deputy legal director at Democracy Defenders Fund, said the latest decision reinforced the limits on the president’s authority to alter election procedures through executive action.

Anna Baldwin, director of voting rights litigation at Campaign Legal Center, said the ruling would protect mail voting for millions of Americans during the election cycle.

Juan Proaño, chief executive of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said voters should not face barriers to receiving ballots because of administrative decisions made by state or local election officials.

The court’s decision comes as preparations for the November 2026 midterm elections are under way, leaving the Postal Service unable to enforce the disputed requirements for this election.

Source: FSX Business News