Federal Court Blocks USPS Attempt to Limit Mail-In Ballots

Judge Emmet Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the order Wednesday, siding with the NAACP. The organization had challenged a proposed USPS rule that would have blocked ballot delivery in states failing to meet specific data-sharing or envelope-design requirements. These barriers were designed to align with an executive order from March directing federal agencies to manage voter eligibility lists and increase oversight of mailed ballots.

Legal advocates welcomed the decision, noting that the USPS proposal threatened to disenfranchise millions. Allison Zieve, director of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, described the agency's plan as both unlawful and a direct threat to the democratic process. Anthony P. Ashton, senior counsel for the NAACP, emphasized that these arbitrary requirements would have disproportionately impacted Black voters, who rely heavily on mail-in options to avoid intimidation or access barriers at physical polling locations.

This ruling follows a recent series of judicial rebukes to the administration's voting policies. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court affirmed that states may count ballots postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrive afterward. Meanwhile, federal courts in Massachusetts recently struck down portions of the administration’s March 2026 directive and a separate 2025 order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.