Federal Judge Extends Block on New USPS Mail Voting Requirements

Blocked USPS Mail Voting Policy Extended by Federal Judge

Washington — A U.S. federal judge extended the suspension of new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) voting requirements on Friday, as states gear up for the November mid-term elections.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a preliminary injunction against the rules and granted a request for extended relief from 24 Democratic-led states and voting rights groups. The USPS policies under scrutiny were rolled out last month.

In her 49-page decision, Judge Talwani stated that the new rules are likely unconstitutional and would significantly disenfranchise eligible voters due to the difficulty of implementation close to the November elections.

The judge expressed further concerns about the USPS’s overreach of its authority, stating that election regulation is the jurisdiction of Congress and the states. The new rules were described as an unauthorized intrusion on the powers of these entities.

State and local election officials have also voiced concerns about the workload associated with the new requirements, especially amidst other election-related tasks.

The Justice Department’s Likely Response and the Ongoing Legal Battle

The Justice Department is expected to appeal the decision. At a hearing on Thursday, government attorneys suggested that they would seek the Supreme Court’s intervention if the requirements continued to be blocked. The Trump administration petitioned the Supreme Court later that day to allow enforcement of the mail-ballot limits.

The legal proceedings are taking place amidst the distribution of mail ballots by states. Wisconsin has already dispatched ballots, North Carolina is due to send theirs shortly, and more states will follow from mid-September.

The Contentious USPS Rules and Associated Challenges

The contentious USPS rule requires states to adhere to ballot design requirements and submit voter information. Postal workers are also required to review and verify ballot mail. Non-compliant ballot mailings will be returned to the election offices, according to the USPS.

State and local election officials warn that these requirements will be costly and logistically challenging. A whistleblower has also flagged potential issues with the USPS’s new mail ballot system.

The USPS has assured that they are making “refinements” to the new ballot mail portal. As a result of Judge Talwani’s order, states are not required to submit ballot envelopes for compliance review with the new design rules. However, this review is available to states that wish to voluntarily submit their envelopes, according to Steven Monteith, executive vice president of the USPS.