Court Blocks Mail-Ballot Restrictions and Federal Voter List

A federal judge invalidated provisions of an executive order that had directed federal agencies to build a new voter-eligibility list and to restrict the delivery or counting of mail ballots. The court found the directives exceeded the president's authority and intruded on state administration of elections.

Election administration, including mail-ballot procedures and eligibility lists, is constitutionally allocated primarily to the states and Congress rather than the executive branch. A ruling against these provisions reinforces limits on the president's ability to unilaterally reshape federal election procedures through executive order.

The court blocked the key provisions of the order, halting their implementation.