US Judge Blocks Trump-Backed Mail-In Voting Restrictions

A federal decision has thwarted efforts to impose restrictions on mail-in voting, a policy heavily endorsed by former President Donald Trump. In a ruling delivered in Washington, DC, Judge Emmet Sullivan supported the NAACP's objection to a proposed rule change by the US Postal Service (USPS).

Judge Sullivan determined that the proposed rule would contravene a 2021 settlement mandating USPS to expedite the handling of mail-in ballots and granted a motion to enforce compliance with this settlement. The NAACP successfully argued that the USPS proposal would undermine the agreement, which prioritized timely delivery of electoral mail.

The contentious rule would have required states to furnish lists of absentee and mail-in voters, with non-compliant ballots being rejected. Additionally, it proposed specific design changes for mail-in envelopes, a move critiqued as an impediment to smooth election processes. The ruling arrives ahead of midterm elections, crucial for the Republican Party's congressional control.