U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani issued a ruling on Tuesday barring the Trump administration from implementing an executive order that would have established a federal voter registry and directed the U.S. Postal Service to distribute mail ballots only to voters on that list. This marks the second legal decision by Talwani against the order, which Trump signed in March. The judge previously halted the directive on June 25 after Democratic state attorneys general brought legal challenges.
The judge emphasized the timing of her decision, noting that fewer than 90 days remained before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections and that implementing such changes on the eve of the election posed critical concerns. She stated that the executive branch lacks authority to regulate elections and noted that the Trump administration had declined to defend the order’s constitutionality. The ruling bars the Postal Service from taking any steps to implement the order for the upcoming midterm elections.
The Trump administration has filed a request with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn lower court decisions that have blocked the changes in nearly half the country. Administration lawyer Stephen Pezzi argued that harms cited by plaintiffs were subjective and that the voting list could change before being finalized. A White House spokesperson stated that the administration would continue “lawfully enacting” the president’s agenda, noting that Trump has called for Congress to pass legislation restructuring American elections.
Lawsuits challenging the order were brought by the League of Women Voters and other voting rights organizations, as well as Democratic and civil rights groups. Plaintiffs argued the order violated the Constitution because states and Congress, not the president, hold authority over election rules. The Trump administration countered that plaintiffs lacked legal standing and that the cases were premature. A separate federal judge in Washington previously determined it was too early to block the order, and a three-judge appellate panel upheld that decision in July.
Voting rights advocates celebrated the ruling, with the League of Women Voters stating that neither the president nor the Postal Service possesses authority to rewrite election rules. The executive order was issued after a congressional bill Trump supported to revamp voting procedures stalled in Congress. Election officials have expressed concerns that the order risked chaos and potential abuse, and the postal workers’ union objected to mail carriers being tasked with ballot oversight.
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