A Boston-based federal appeals court has rejected the Trump administration's bid to implement new U.S. Postal Service rules that would tighten mail-in voting requirements before November's congressional midterm elections. The ruling prevents the administration from enforcing sweeping restrictions on postal voting, dealing a fresh blow to efforts to change how mail-in voting works.
The first US circuit court of appeals declined to put on hold an injunction issued by a lower court judge that blocked the new rules. This decision denies the Justice Department's request to overturn the lower court's ruling and allow the USPS to tighten its requirements for mail ballots.
Warnings had been raised that the proposed changes would significantly increase the likelihood of midterm election issues. As the legal battle continues, the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing a similar request for intervention from the Justice Department.