Judge clears the way for Postal Service work on Trump's mail-in voting order for now

Trump mail voting order: Judge clears USPS' way for now A federal judge in Boston canceled a nationwide ruling that blocked U.S.

Key points

• Postal Service worker loads mail-in ballots onto a truck in 2022 in Miami.
• Postal Service notes its cash crisis is delayed until at least 2031, but difficulties loom.
• District Judge Indira Talwani on Wednesday canceled a nationwide ruling she had issued that blocked the U.S.
• Judge clears the way for Postal Service work on Trump's mail-in voting order for now.
• The decision sets the stage for another feasible consideration of the executive order by the Supreme Court.

Judge clears the way for Postal Service work on Trump's mail-in voting order for now. Updated August 26, 20263: 05 PM ET. Originally published August 26, 20261: 15 PM ET.

For context, a U.S. Postal Service worker loads mail-in ballots onto a truck in 2022 in Miami. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption. Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

Notably, a federal judge in Boston has handed the Trump administration another temporary win in the legal fight over the president's executive order to restrict mail-in voting for the midterm election.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani on Wednesday canceled a nationwide ruling she had issued that blocked the U.S. Postal Service from working on Trump's directives.

Meanwhile, the decision sets the stage for another feasible consideration of the executive order by the Supreme Court. So far, the high court has ruled on a procedural matter, but not weighed in on whether Trump's order is legal.

Supreme Court gives Trump an interim win on his mail voting order, but hurdles loom.

In that earlier procedural ruling, the Supreme Court halted a similar June ruling from Talwani that applied only to the 23 mainly Democratic-led states, plus Washington, D.C., that sued over the order. The high court concluded Talwani weighed in too early, before USPS issued a finalized plan for carrying out Trump's directives.

In Wednesday's order, the judge cited that reasoning by the Supreme Court for granting the administration's request to cancel her nationwide ruling. It was additionally issued before USPS' Aug. 21 release of a final rule for federal ballot mail.

As called on by Trump's order, that rule's most controversial provision lays out a plan for delivering mail-in ballots only to individuals on lists of absentee voters that states would have to turn over to the mailing agency.

For context, a federal law bans late voter roll purges. Republicans are pushing to reinterpret it.

Trump, who himself has voted by mail in Florida, has remarked he signed this executive order in March to stop illegal voting by non-U.S. Citizens, a challenge that plenty of studies and audits find is extremely rare.

Notably, the order's challengers argue that it oversteps a president's authority under the Constitution. It gives the power of setting federal election rules to the states and Congress. They additionally claim that USPS has no authority to control mail-in voting.

It remains unclear if and how Trump's directives would ultimately affect voting by mail for the midterms. It is due to start in a matter of weeks.

Trump's order is projected to face more legal hurdles as this lawsuit and other related cases filed by Democrats, voting rights groups and two dozen mainly Democratic-led states proceed.

As well as another federal judge in Washington, D.C., to matter new rulings that would block USPS from carrying out its finalized plan and probable be appealed to the Supreme Court, those challengers are asking Talwani. Editor's note: USPS is a financial supporter of NPR. Edited by Benjamin Swasey.

NPR does not offer or accept funds for coverage or interviews. Anyone who makes such an offer or request is not an NPR employee and does not represent NPR.

In short, judge clears the way for Postal Service work on Trump' s mail is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.