{"id":2654123,"date":"2026-09-03T13:10:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-signals-extended-block-on-trump-usps-mail-in-ballot-rule\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T13:18:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:18:11","slug":"judge-signals-extended-block-on-trump-usps-mail-in-ballot-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-signals-extended-block-on-trump-usps-mail-in-ballot-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge signals extended block on Trump USPS mail-in ballot rule"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjudge-signals-extended-block-on-trump-usps-mail-in-ballot-rule%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2654123&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal judge indicated she may extend a temporary block on President Trump&#8217;s USPS mail-in ballot tracking and verification standards, expressing concerns about the lack of description from the USPS regarding the implementation of the policy with only 70 days until the midterm elections. The case, which has already reached the Supreme Court, involves rules requiring mail-in ballots to have specific markings and be sent in automation-compatible envelopes with barcodes to improve tracking and eligibility verification. The USPS argued these measures are modest and lawful,but the judge questioned their operational details. Texas proposed a voluntary rollout of the system, and concerns were raised over a whistleblower&#8217;s claims that the USPS rushed the portal&#8217;s progress and improperly continued work during legal restrictions. The USPS defended its actions, asserting compliance with court orders and emphasizing its efforts to develop a secure voter mail portal. The judge plans to issue a written decision soon,amid ongoing legal tensions and appeals.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal judge appeared inclined on Thursday to extend a temporary block on President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> plan for the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/usps\/\">Postal Service<\/a> to establish new tracking and verification standards for mail ballots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani repeatedly questioned whether the Trump administration had adequately explained how the policy would work with 70 days remaining before the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4712037\/judge-ready-extend-block-mail-in-ballot-rule\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Judge appears ready to extend block on USPS mail-in ballot rule: \u2018I\u2019m not the final word\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4710509\/federal-investigators-interviewed-letitia-james-whistleblower-trump-targeting\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Federal investigators interviewed Letitia James whistleblower who said she ordered staff to target \u2018Trump himself\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4710017\/google-antitrust-breakup-win-doj\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Judge allows Google to avoid breakup in win against DOJ<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have nothing from the USPS about how this will happen,\u201d Talwani told <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\">Justice Department<\/a> attorney Michael Velchik during the nearly two-hour hearing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talwani, a nominee of former President Barack Obama, said she would try to issue a written decision by Thursday afternoon. Her <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >existing 14-day temporary restraining order expires<\/a> next week.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-case-returns-after-supreme-court-intervention\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case returns after Supreme Court intervention<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dispute has already reached the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\">Supreme Court<\/a> once.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talwani previously blocked implementation of Trump\u2019s executive order, but the Supreme Court lifted that injunction last month after concluding the challenge was premature because the USPS had not issued a final rule. The justices did not decide whether the eventual policy would be lawful.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The USPS published its final rule shortly before the Supreme Court acted. Twenty-four Democratic states, the District of Columbia, and voting organizations then renewed their challenges, allowing Talwani to assess a completed policy rather than a proposal. She issued the current short-term block while considering a preliminary injunction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rule would require mail-in ballots to be stamped with official Election Mail markings and to be sent inside automation-compatible envelopes with unique Intelligent Mail barcodes. Election officials would submit voters\u2019 names, addresses, and corresponding barcode information through a federal portal. The policy is intended to help the USPS track mail-in ballots more closely and to ensure ballots only get sent to eligible voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The administration describes those measures as modest, lawful standards for sensitive mail. Barcodes are already commonly used by the USPS and commercial mailers, and states would retain responsibility for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/connecticut-governor-wants-to-give-noncitizens-ids-that-look-exactly-like-those-used-to-vote\/\" title=\"CT Governor Proposes IDs for Noncitizens Resembling Voting Cards\">determining voter eligibility<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-texas-proposes-voluntary-rollout\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Texas proposes voluntary rollout<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the hearing on Thursday, an attorney for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\">Texas<\/a>, which supports the USPS policy, proposed blocking only mandatory compliance while allowing willing states to use the system, giving the USPS \u201creal-world evidence\u201d of its operation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo we\u2019re going to do a test run on this election?\u201d Talwani asked in response. \u201cWe\u2019re not talking about an intellectual puzzle game. We\u2019re talking about people\u2019s right to vote.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas argued that there is no demonstrated, substantial risk of disenfranchisement. A lawyer for the Justice Department indicated at the outset of the hearing that the government would quickly appeal an injunction, potentially returning the dispute to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-whistleblower-claim-and-usps-response\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Whistleblower claim and USPS response<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talwani\u2019s concerns partly reflected an anonymous disclosure on Tuesday, furnished by the nonprofit group Whistleblower Aid, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4707582\/usps-work-adhere-trump-mail-in-order-rushed-sloppy-whistleblower\/\">alleging the portal was rushed <\/a>and that one failed barcode scan could cause an entire ballot batch to be returned.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The whistleblower also alleged the USPS improperly continued developing the portal while Talwani\u2019s earlier injunction was in effect. But that allegation is muddied in part because the Supreme Court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4677698\/supreme-court-clears-path-trump-mail-ballot-executive-order-emergency-petition\/\">lifted the order<\/a> on Aug. 26 on the grounds that the legal challenge preceded a final rule.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a lengthy <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/about.usps.com\/newsroom\/statements\/090126-statement-on-development-of-us-federal-ballot-mail-portal.htm\">statement<\/a> issued Tuesday, the USPS denied defying the court, saying its work \u201chas at all times been conducted in a manner consistent with court orders.\u201d The agency noted that Talwani expressly allowed it to develop the portal and discuss design standards with states voluntarily. It said verification procedures prohibited by the temporary order are not being performed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The USPS said it has spent months creating a secure, efficient portal and will provide election officials with presentations and other resources as it becomes available for voluntary use.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The published rule does not expressly establish the whistleblower\u2019s claimed zero-error threshold, and the complaint included no internal testing data or records showing ballot batches had been rejected.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4708235\/what-to-know-usps-mail-in-ballot-rule-whistleblower-claims\/\">CONSIDER THE SOURCE: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT USPS MAIL-IN BALLOT RULE AMID WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIMS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notably, Whistleblower Aid was co-founded by Trump critic Mark Zaid, who represented the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/6-things-to-know-about-2019-impeachment-coup-against-trump-as-new-docs-confirm-federalist-reporting\/\" title=\"6 Things To Know About 2019 Impeachment Coup Against Trump\">intelligence community whistleblower<\/a> associated with Trump\u2019s first impeachment, and John Tye, a former Southern Poverty Law Center researcher.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m not the final word,\u201d Talwani said as the hearing ended, adding that repeatedly shuffling the case between her court, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court \u201cdoesn\u2019t do anybody any good.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Judge leans to extend USPS mail ballot rules block before midterms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2654124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP21120735143705.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33764,52457,39540,32640,85080],"class_list":["post-2654123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-election-litigation","tag-judicial-rulings","tag-mail-in-ballots","tag-trump-administration","tag-voting-procedures"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP21120735143705.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2654123"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2654128,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654123\/revisions\/2654128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2654124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2654123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2654123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2654123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}