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Judge blocks Trump mail voting order
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Judge Indira Talwani placed a 14-day hold on Trump's mail voting order. Nearly one-third of Americans vote by mail, so the ruling affects midterm election preparations.
Background
President Trump issued an executive order on March 31 directing the U.S. Postal Service to restrict mail-in ballots, delivering them only to states that hand over voter data. The Supreme Court on Monday overturned an earlier block, but a new lawsuit from two dozen states and D.C. led Judge Talwani to issue a temporary hold, citing insufficient time for states to comply before the midterms.
How it unfolded
- Mar 31, 2026Trump signed an executive order directing the Postal Service to restrict mail-in ballots, delivering them only to states that provide voter data.
- Aug 24, 2026The Supreme Court overturned an earlier ruling by Judge Talwani that had blocked the order, saying challenges were filed too soon.
- Aug 26, 2026Judge Talwani canceled her nationwide ruling blocking the Postal Service from working on Trump's directives, a temporary win for the administration.
- Aug 27, 2026Two dozen states and D.C. filed a new lawsuit seeking to block the Postal Service's new rule regulating mail voting.
- Aug 28, 2026Judge Talwani placed a 14-day hold on implementing the order, with a hearing set for September 3.
Who’s saying what
- Judge
- Judge Talwani wrote that states lack time and funds to redesign ballots and update systems before the midterms.
- States
- The states and voting rights groups argue Congress has not given the Postal Service authority to set rules for federal elections.
- Administration
- Former White House deputy counsel Gene Hamilton said the ruling allows federal agencies to move forward with parts of the order.