Overview
- U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a 14‑day temporary restraining order on Thursday that stops core provisions of a new USPS final rule tied to President Trump’s Executive Order 14399 from taking effect while the court weighs a longer injunction.
- The rule would have required states to upload each eligible voter’s name, address and an Intelligent Mail barcode into a USPS Ballot Portal and allowed USPS to withhold delivery for states that do not comply.
- The Trump administration has appealed Talwani’s order and a hearing is scheduled for September 3, making rapid appeals to higher courts likely before most states mail ballots in early September.
- State and local election officials say the rule is logistically infeasible on the short timetable, citing costs to reprint envelopes, train staff, and integrate untested USPS systems that could prevent eligible voters from receiving ballots.
- Separate reporting shows a recent rise in late and rejected mail ballots in key states, which feeds officials’ concerns about postal reliability and raises the prospect that any implementation or delay could change how many mailed votes are counted this fall.