A federal judge on Wednesday blocked U.S. Postal Service proposed restrictions on mail-in voting, ruling the changes would violate an existing settlement requiring expedited handling of mail-in ballots.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said the proposed USPS rules conflicted with a 2021 agreement with the NAACP that requires “extraordinary measures” to ensure timely delivery of election mail through 2028.
The proposal, introduced in May by the United States Postal Service, would require states to submit voter lists and adopt updated ballot procedures before mail ballots would be delivered. If states did not comply, the USPS could refuse to deliver ballots.
In a separate June 25 ruling, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani blocked enforcement of the broader executive order underpinning the USPS proposal, finding the administration “exceeded its authority” in attempting to overhaul election administration.
