Federal Court Blocks U.S. Postal Service from Implementing Executive Order Restricting Mail Voting

BOSTON – A federal court today issued a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from implementing President Trump’s 2026 executive order restricting mail voting, in a case brought by a coalition of nonpartisan voting rights groups.

“The court saw what we've said from the beginning: this executive order is causing real harm right now," said Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project. "Today's ruling sends another necessary message to an administration that continues to weaponize portions of the government to sow chaos into our elections at the expense of eligible voters. The president does not get to rewrite the rules of voting, and he certainly does not get to treat voters as collateral damage in his campaign to control state-run elections. Every last-minute disruption, every manufactured obstacle, and every attempt to seize control of election administration puts real voters in the crosshairs. But this ruling protects voters as we head into the November midterms."

Today’s ruling blocks USPS from implementing Section 3 of the executive order for the November 3 midterm elections and any earlier federal election. The court held unequivocally that “the executive branch has no authority to regulate elections” and recognized that the executive order is currently causing "irreparable harm” to both voting rights groups and voters by creating confusion about the mail ballots that millions of voters rely on.

In June, the same District Court ruled in a separate case brought by 23 states and the District of Columbia that key parts of the executive order were unconstitutional and legally void. In that ruling, the court barred both federal agencies and USPS from using the executive order to interfere with voter rolls or mail ballots in the plaintiff states and D.C. The Trump administration has made an emergency request to the U.S. Supreme Court to lift that injunction; that request is pending.

The suit from voting rights groups was filed by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, the League of Women Voters, Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO), U.S. Vote Foundation, OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA), and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Massachusetts, Brennan Center for Justice, Legal Defense Fund (LDF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice-AAJC), and LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

Plaintiffs and counsel in the case issued the following statements:

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs: “This ruling reinforces the clear language of our Constitution: The president plays no role in our elections and he cannot turn the U.S. Postal Service into a tool for disenfranchising voters. Millions of citizens rely on mail voting, and USPS has no authority to determine which of them should receive ballots. Voting rights groups and state and local officials are already deep into preparation for ongoing primaries and the November 2026 midterms, and the president’s executive order has created chaos and harm. We welcome this ruling as an important step to preserve free and fair elections. We will continue to vigorously defend the fundamental right to vote and protect the integrity of our elections.”

Celia Canavan, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: “The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts commends the court for upholding one of our most sacred constitutional rights: the right to vote. We are pleased to see this ruling and are committed to remaining in the fight to protect voting rights – not just for the Bay Staters who rely on mail voting, but for every American who utilizes this safe, secure, and trusted tool.”

Marcia Johnson, chief of activation and justice, League of Women Voters: “This ruling is a victory for voters and for the Constitution. Neither the president nor the U.S. Postal Service has the authority to rewrite election rules. Millions of Americans, including seniors, military voters, voters with disabilities, rural voters, and citizens living overseas, rely on voting by mail to participate in our democracy. Today’s decision reaffirms that the rules governing our democracy must be set by the Constitution and the law, not by executive overreach. The League of Women Voters will continue fighting to ensure that every voter can cast a ballot and have that ballot counted.”

Doris Speer, president of the Association of Americans Resident Overseas: “AARO is extremely pleased with this decision. The executive order threatened chaos, confusion, and disenfranchisement of Americans living overseas. The president cannot make rules for federal elections, and certainly should not place new obstacles in the way of exercising the most fundamental right and responsibility of citizenship — the right to vote. We are gratified that this order has been stopped.”

Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, President and CEO, U.S. Vote Foundation: “We are relieved that the courts have halted this executive order and reaffirmed the roles of states and Congress in setting election rules. Absentee and mail voting have long provided a secure and reliable way for eligible voters, including military and overseas citizens, to participate in elections. We remain committed to protecting access to these proven voting processes.”

Thu Nguyen, Executive Director, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates: “Asian American voters often rely on translators to help comfortably cast an informed ballot. And voting by mail is an indispensable tool that allows us to better access translators of choice using various communication tools like the phone. Without it, we’d be reliant on translators who are available to go to the polls with us or hope to find one there. We applaud the court decision enjoining the USPS because this means our communities will have fewer hurdles to overcome in the upcoming primaries and the November general election.”

Cheryl W. Turner, international president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.:

“Today’s ruling affirms a foundational promise of our democracy: Every eligible voter must be able to participate freely, fairly, and without unnecessary barriers. Delta Sigma Theta will continue to stand against any effort that threatens access to the ballot and undermines the rights of voters, particularly in communities that have too often been excluded from full democratic participation.”

Read the order here.

Find more information about League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump here.