Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Judge Extends Block on Trump Order Limiting Mail Voting
A judge has continued blocking a plan that would change how mail voting works.
The plan comes from an executive order by President Donald Trump.
Judge Indira Talwani said states do not have enough time to change their election systems.
North Carolina has already started sending mail ballots.
Other states are expected to begin soon.
The Trump administration plans to appeal the decision.
States may still choose to use the Postal Service system voluntarily.
So far, no state has said it will do that.
The Supreme Court previously ended an earlier temporary block without deciding whether Trump’s order was legal.
Judge Indira Talwani issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Postal Service from implementing Trump’s mail-voting order.
The Trump administration said it would appeal the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
North Carolina began sending its first mail ballots Friday, with other states expected to follow soon.
Election officials say there is insufficient time to revise voting systems without risking voter disenfranchisement.
The Supreme Court overturned Talwani’s earlier temporary order but did not rule that Trump’s action was lawful.
- Who
- U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, the Trump administration, states, election officials, Democrats, and voting-rights groups.
- What
- Talwani extended an injunction preventing the U.S. Postal Service from implementing Trump’s executive order seeking to limit mail voting.
- When
- The ruling was issued Friday, as states began sending mail ballots for the midterm elections; the administration said it would appeal.
- Where
- The ruling came in the U.S. District Court, while its effects apply to states preparing to conduct the elections.
- Why
- Talwani said states could not revise their voting systems this late in the election cycle without risking significant disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
States and Voting-Rights Groups
Trump Administration
Timing of implementation
States and Voting-Rights Groups
States and election officials say the directives arrived too late to revise voting systems before millions of ballots must be mailed, potentially disenfranchising eligible voters.
Trump Administration
The administration is pursuing implementation of the executive order and is appealing Talwani’s latest block.
Authority over election procedures
States and Voting-Rights Groups
Lawsuits argue that states—and in some cases Congress—have authority to set voting procedures rather than the president.
Trump Administration
The administration continues defending and pursuing Trump’s executive order, including changes affecting mail voting.
Mail-voting rules
States and Voting-Rights Groups
States and voting-rights groups are seeking to preserve existing mail-ballot procedures as elections approach.
Trump Administration
Trump has sought to limit mail voting and has blamed it for his 2020 election loss, a claim the article describes as baseless.
- Judge
- U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani
- Blocked action
- Implementation of the U.S. Postal Service system created under Trump’s mail-voting executive order
- Appeal
- The Trump administration plans to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- Election timing
- North Carolina began sending its first mail ballots Friday
- Mail voting share
- Nearly one-third of U.S. voters cast mail ballots
- Voluntary use
- States may voluntarily use the new Postal Service system, but no state has announced plans to do so
- Supreme Court ruling
- The Supreme Court overturned Talwani’s earlier temporary order but did not decide whether Trump’s action was legal
