Trump Administration Appeals Ruling Blocking Mail Voting Order

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is appealing a judge’s ruling that blocked limitations on mail voting before the midterm elections. This appeal follows a federal judge in Boston's decision to block the implementation of an executive order from President Donald Trump for the next two weeks. The notice of appeal was filed on Friday. The Supreme Court previously allowed the plan to move ahead on procedural grounds but has not yet decided on its legality. The U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals will next consider the case, which could return to the Supreme Court. Under Trump’s executive order, the U.S. Postal Service could refuse to deliver ballots from states that do not submit lists of eligible voters and follow a uniform envelope style. The White House describes the plan as “commonsense measures” aimed at protecting ballot security and calls the order blocking it “unreasoned and unlawful.” U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani found that states lack the time and resources to design and produce new ballots, update their systems, and train officials to upload voter data to the Postal Service before the midterm elections. The first mail ballots for the general election, which will determine control of Congress, are scheduled to be sent out on September 4. The ruling came after Democrats and voting rights groups filed lawsuits to comply with a recent Supreme Court decision, asserting that the Constitution grants states and, in some cases, Congress, the power to make election rules, not the president or the Postal Service. The ongoing legal battle could significantly impact the midterms, as nearly one-third of Americans vote by mail, and election officials argue that there is insufficient time to adjust their systems to comply with the new Postal Service directives. President Trump has long criticized mail voting, which he claims contributed to his 2020 election loss, despite using it himself to cast his ballot. A report by the Brookings Institution published in 2025 found that mail voting fraud occurred in only about four cases out of every 10 million mail ballots cast. Trump’s executive order was challenged in court shortly after its issuance in March. Judge Talwani, nominated by President Barack Obama, agreed to block the order for the midterm elections, but the Supreme Court recently determined that she acted prematurely. The Postal Service plan has since been finalized.