US District Judge Indira Talwani has extended a block on the US Postal Service's (USPS) new mail-in ballot requirements, preventing the agency from enforcing them for the November midterm elections. The preliminary injunction, which replaces a temporary restraining order, will remain in place until at least Nov. 3. The rule, issued in August, would have required mail-in ballots to be stamped with official markings and sent in special envelopes with unique barcodes, but Talwani found that USPS exceeded its authority by trying to regulate states' handling of federal elections. The ruling preserves the existing mail-in ballot system for now while the courts consider the broader legal challenge.
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Leaning score -0.55 for article 4499 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-05
A federal judge on Friday extended a block on the U.S. Postal Service’s new mail-in ballot requirements, preventing the agency from enforcing the rules for the November midterm elections.
asserted
judge → extend → elections
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, granted a preliminary injunction against portions of the USPS rule, finding the challengers were likely to succeed in arguing that the service overstepped its authority.
asserted
service → appoint → authority
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The decision replaces a temporary restraining order Talwani issued Aug. 27, which blocked the requirements for 14 days while the court considered whether longer-lasting relief was warranted.
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relief → replace → days
The preliminary injunction keeps the restrictions from taking effect for elections through Nov. 3 as the case continues.
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case → keep → Nov.
The dispute stems from a rule USPS issued in August to implement portions of President Donald Trump’s March executive order aimed at tightening rules surrounding mail-in voting.
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USPS → stem → voting
The rule would require mail-in ballots to be stamped with official Election Mail markings and to be sent inside automation-compatible envelopes with unique Intelligent Mail barcodes.
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ballots → require → barcodes
Election officials would submit voters’ names, addresses, and corresponding barcode information through a federal portal.
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officials → submit → portal
The policy is intended to help USPS track mail-in ballots more closely and to ensure ballots are sent only to eligible voters.
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ballots → intend → voters
Talwani found that the plaintiffs challenging the rule are likely to succeed because the elections clause of the Constitution grants authority over federal elections to the states, subject to Congress’s legislative intervention.
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clause → find → intervention
USPS, as part of the executive branch, does not have the authority to regulate states’ handling of federal elections, in Talwani’s view.
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USPS → have → view
The judge also found that implementing the rule so close to the election could cause significant disruptions.
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implementing → find → disruptions
States have already printed millions of ballots and envelopes, while the USPS portal required under the rule was not yet operational as of this week.
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portal → print → week
The ruling does not permanently strike down the USPS rule or resolve the underlying lawsuit brought on by the Democrat-led states and voting organizations.
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ruling → strike → states
Instead, it preserves the existing mail-in ballot system through the midterm elections while the courts consider the broader legal challenge.
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courts → preserve → challenge
The Trump administration has already asked higher courts to intervene in the dispute.
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administration → ask → dispute
The Supreme Court lifted an injunction last month after concluding the challenge was premature because USPS had not issued a final rule.
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USPS → lift → rule
The justices did not decide whether the eventual policy would be lawful.
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policy → decide → ?
The challengers returned to court after the final rule was issued.
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rule → return → court
