Trump takes another hit on mail-in ballots as midterms draw dangerously close
Boston, Massachusetts - A federal judge blocked a part of President Donald Trump's efforts to make sweeping changes to mail-in voting ahead of the midterms elections in November.
According to Fox News, District Judge Indira Talwani on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction preventing the US Postal Service (USPS) from implementing or enforcing Section 3 of Executive Order 14399 during the elections.
The injunction blocks the USPS from being able to refuse to transmit mail-in and absentee ballots, along with specific regulations, but it does not prevent the Trump administration from including nonbinding guidance on ballot-mail envelopes.
The Trump administration is soon expected to appeal the ruling at the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.
Trump has long pushed unfounded claims that US elections are rampant with fraud and cheating. He has repeatedly pointed to mail-in and absentee ballots, despite having regularly used both methods himself.
In March, he signed an order instructing the Department of Homeland Security to compile lists of eligible voters, the USPS to implement new guidelines, and the Justice Department to go after states not in compliance.
Judge Talwani had previously blocked other provisions of the order in June, arguing they exceeded the president's authority.
The president has also been aggressively urging Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which seeks to force voters to present ID, and outright bans mail-in ballots in most cases.
In an interview on Tuesday, Trump refused to rule out the idea of declaring a national emergency ahead of the midterms if Congress fails to pass it.
Cover photo: AFP/Jim Watson