Appeals Court Backs Trump USPS Mail Ballot Rule; Separate Injunction Still Blocks It

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. handed the Trump administration a temporary victory on Friday, July 18, when a three-judge panel unanimously halted a lower court order blocking USPS from restricting mail-in ballot delivery. Under the proposed rule, the Postal Service would refuse to deliver mail-in ballots in states that do not turn over voter lists to the federal government. However, a separate injunction from a Massachusetts judge still blocks the policy from taking effect.

What the appeals court ruled on July 18

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that USPS made a “strong showing that they will likely succeed” in their legal arguments. The panel ruled that the proposed rule was neither constitutionally ripe for review nor covered by a 2021 settlement agreement between USPS and the NAACP. The judges also determined that USPS would suffer “irreparable harm” if unable to finalize the rule by the November midterms, writing that there “can be no do over” once the election occurs.

The policy stems from Trump’s March executive order

President Trump issued an executive order in March directing USPS to propose a final rule by August 3 requiring states to provide voter lists or lose mail-in ballot delivery. Postmaster General David Steiner told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in June that under the proposed rule, USPS would refuse to deliver mail-in ballots in states refusing to hand over their voter lists. Steiner said the changes were meant to ensure the “right ballots are going to the right people.” The rule would also mandate secure ballot envelopes with unique barcodes for tracking ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Legal challenges block implementation despite appeals court win

The NAACP sued in late June, arguing the proposal violates a December 2021 settlement agreement requiring USPS to “prioritize monitoring and timely delivery of election mail” through 2028. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan agreed in early July, finding Trump’s order was “designed to exert federal control over who in the United States may be sent a mail-in or absentee ballot.” A federal judge in Massachusetts also blocked the policy last month. That Massachusetts injunction remains in effect, preventing USPS from implementing the rule despite Friday’s appeals court ruling. The appeals court found the lawsuit was premature since the rule itself is not yet finalized.

USPS confirms it is following court orders for now

On July 15, Postmaster General David Steiner and USPS board chairwoman Amber McReynolds wrote to Senate Democrats confirming the agency is abiding by both injunctions currently under appeal. USPS stated that “any issuance of a final rule would be impacted by the outcome of ongoing litigation.” The agency acknowledged that one injunction limits implementation for a subset of states for the upcoming general election, while a separate injunction enjoins implementation of the proposed rule entirely.

Final Thoughts

The appeals court victory is narrow. USPS cannot move forward with the policy while the Massachusetts injunction stands, leaving the rule stalled through November. Litigation will likely continue through the 2026 midterms.

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