A federal court has declined to block a U.S. Postal Service rule tied to a presidential executive order on election administration, allowing the policy to remain in effect while litigation continues.
The decision permits the Postal Service to enforce requirements that states submit voter rolls for citizenship verification if they want mail-in and absentee ballots delivered for the November midterms.
The underlying executive order, signed in March, directs federal agencies to coordinate on citizenship verification and prevent ineligible voters from receiving or casting mail ballots in federal elections.
Under the order, states must provide detailed voter manifests—including names, addresses, and barcode identifiers—at least 60 days before federal elections so the Postal Service can confirm eligibility and track ballots.
States that refuse to submit the lists or adopt specified security standards, such as special envelopes with intelligent mail barcodes, will not have their ballots delivered by the Postal Service.
The Postmaster General told Congress that the agency will not deliver mail ballots in any state that declines to comply with the order.
A federal judge in Boston had blocked key parts of the implementation, citing concerns over state authority in election administration.
On July 17, a federal appeals court stayed that injunction and declined to issue a preliminary injunction sought by several states and advocacy groups.
The court found the challengers had not shown the immediate harm required for such relief, allowing the contested provisions to proceed.
The appeals panel indicated the Postal Service is likely to prevail on appeal for two reasons: the challenge targets a proposed rather than final rule, and the rule likely does not violate a 2021 settlement agreement.
