Court panel declines to block Trump’s mail ballot order, but its status for midterms remains unclear
The panel said the case is unripe because federal agencies have not issued implementing rules, setting up a clash with a 1st Circuit ruling.
- A three-judge D.C. Circuit panel affirmed on Tuesday the denial of a preliminary injunction against President Donald Trump's executive order on mail-in voting, ruling the legal challenge premature because agencies have not yet issued implementing rules.
- President Trump signed the executive order on March 31, 2026, directing the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Service to compile citizenship lists and develop mail-in ballot procedures consistent with existing legal constraints.
- This ruling creates a circuit split, directly contradicting a 1st Circuit decision that upheld an injunction blocking the order in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The D.C. panel indicated plaintiffs could return if specific unlawful implementations occur.
- Solicitor General D. John Sauer appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court on Monday, arguing the injunction prevents implementation before the November election. The Court set an August 3 deadline for responses from challengers.
- Critics argue the order represents an unconstitutional "power grab" over state-run elections, while the administration maintains it is necessary to prevent fraud. The Supreme Court must now determine whether to intervene in this dispute over federal versus state authority.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Courts issue conflicting rulings on Trump executive order restricting vote
A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the federal government can continue implementing President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting vote-by-mail, reaching the opposite conclusion that another appeals panel decided over the weekend.The conflict appeared to make it even more clear the issue will have to be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court, which already has been asked for its opinion on Trump’s sweeping order that would have a huge impa…
Trump Supreme Court Appeal: Legal Expert Warns of Executive Order Mail-In Voting Grab
Donald Trump's Justice Department has asked the US Supreme Court to revive an executive order curbing mail-in voting ahead of the 3 November midterm elections, prompting a stark warning from a leading legal commentator that the move amounts to an attempted 'power grab' over how states run their own polls. Though the Solicitor General filed an emergency application urging the justices to scrap a lower-court injunction that had blocked Trump's ord…
Courts issue conflicting rulings on Trump executive order restricting vote-by-mail • Rhode Island Current
A mailbox in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom) A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the federal government can continue implementing President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting vote-by-mail, reaching the opposite conclusion that another appeals panel decided over the weekend. The conflict appeared to make it even more clear the issue will have to be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court, which already has be…
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