Judge blocks rule implementing Trump plan to restrict mail-in voting

A federal judge on Thursday blocked the ​US Postal Service from implementing core parts of a new rule it adopted at President Donald Trump’s direction that would ‌tighten mail-in voting requirements ahead of the November congressional elections.US District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a temporary restraining order, opens new tab at the behest of Democratic-led states and voting rights groups after the US Supreme Court on Monday issued a ruling that led to the lifting of earlier injunctions blocking Trump’s plans to restrict mail-in voting.That decision led to ​a frantic effort by dozens of Democratic state attorneys general and voting rights groups including the League of Women Voters to renew ​their legal fight and secure an order that would prevent the USPS from enforcing a rule that was allowed ⁠to take effect on Wednesday.In Thursday’s ruling, Talwani said the rule risked preventing citizens from casting ballots by mail unless states secure the Postal ​Service’s sign-off on the envelopes used for that purpose and upload information on each voter into an electronic portal run by the agency.The judge said ​the agency had presented no evidence regarding fraudulent mail-in voting that would necessitate such a rule, which she said likely was unlawful and adopted in violation of the US Constitution, which gives states the authority to administer elections.“USPS’s interest in correcting an unsubstantiated problem through likely unconstitutional means is dwarfed by the overwhelming risk of pervasive ​disenfranchisement of citizens who need access to mail ballots in order to vote,” she wrote.The restraining order Talwani issued will remain in place for 14 ​days while she considers whether to issue a longer-term preliminary injunction blocking the rule.The judge, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, plans to consider whether to ‌do so ⁠during a September 3 hearing.“Today’s order presses pause on an unlawf...