US Judge Blocks Trump Rule on Postal Voting

ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Leif Christoph Gottwald

JAKARTA - A federal judge has blocked the United States Postal Service (USPS) from implementing President Donald Trump's executive order provisions regarding tightening voting rules by mail ahead of the November midterm elections.

U.S. District Judge for the District of Massachusetts Indira Talwani issued a new stay ruling that prohibits the USPS from implementing the provision nationwide.

As reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, August 12, the ruling was issued in a case filed by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and a number of other plaintiffs.

Previously, Trump signed Executive Order 14399 entitled "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections" on March 31.

The order instructs USPS, among other things, to establish requirements for postal ballots and absentee ballots. USPS is also asked to refuse the delivery of ballots that do not meet the new requirements.

Talwani previously blocked the main provision of the order in June in 23 states and Washington DC. The latest ruling extends the block to the entire United States.

The US Supreme Court is currently considering the Trump administration's request to overturn Talwani's previous ruling on the executive order.

The legal dispute comes ahead of November's midterm elections, when US voters will decide control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.