Judge blocks Trumps Postal Service regulation on mail-in ballots

A federal judge Thursday blocked a Postal Service regulation that would exert control over mail-in ballots ahead of the midterm elections in the latest setback on the issue for President Donald Trump.The recently finalized measure would implement a key provision of Trump’s executive order on mail-in ballots that would add a new level of bureaucracy to the elections process that is typically administered by states.The executive order directed the U.S.Postal Service to, among other things, track mail-in ballots and potentially reject those submitted by people not on a federal list of eligible voters.The decision by Boston-based U.S.

District Court Judge Indira Talwani in a case brought by the League of Women Voters and other groups means that part of the executive order remains blocked for at least 14 days with time running out to implement it ahead of the November election.Talwani wrote that the regulation is likely unlawful because the president cannot insert the federal government into elections without the express authorization of Congress.“The court finds plaintiffs likely to succeed on the merits of their claims,” she added.The Trump administration could now seek to quickly overturn her decision by rushing to the Supreme Court.Trump often criticizes mail-in ballots, claiming without evidence there is rampant fraud even though they are widely used by Republicans and Democrats all across the country.Talwani noted in her ruling that the administration had not offered “any evidence regarding fraudulent absentee or mail-in voting.”The government’s interest in “correcting an unsubstantiated problem through likely unconstitutional means is dwarfed by the overwhelming risk of pervasive disenfranchisement,” she added.Directly addressing the short time frame ahead of the election, she added that states “have neither time nor funds” to meet the necessary requirements, including updating election management systems and training staff.

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