Judge Bars Postal Service Nationwide From Carrying Out Mail-Ballot Order

On July 1, 2026, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan barred the U.S. Postal Service nationwide from implementing provisions of President Trump's March 2026 election executive order that directed USPS to accept mail-in ballots only from voters on preapproved lists. Sullivan found the plan breached a 2021 settlement between the Postal Service and the NAACP requiring the agency to prioritize timely delivery of election mail through 2028. The ruling is broader than an earlier order by Judge Indira Talwani, which applied to roughly two dozen jurisdictions.

The decision adds to a string of judicial setbacks for the administration's effort to reshape federal election administration, an area traditionally left largely to the states. Courts have repeatedly questioned whether the executive branch can impose new voting and registration requirements without congressional authorization.

The nationwide block remains in effect; the administration has appealed related rulings, and further litigation over the executive order is ongoing.