Judge Blocks Trump's Mail‑In Ballot Voter List Order

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a summary‑judgment ruling that halts President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring states to provide a federal list of eligible voters to the U.S. Postal Service and linking mail‑in ballot distribution to that list. The judge said the order “unconstitutionally violates the separation of powers,” asserting that election rules are the domain of states and Congress, not the president.

The injunction applies to the 2026 midterm election cycle and follows lawsuits filed by a coalition of nearly two dozen states, including Arizona, California and New Jersey. State officials argued the rule would restrict mail voting in states that refused to supply the lists, potentially limiting ballots for millions of voters, including military families, rural residents and Native Americans. The White House affirmed its intent to appeal, while the administration’s spokesperson described the order as a lawful effort to protect elections.

The decision marks the second recent court rebuke of a Trump election‑related order, reinforcing that federal authorities cannot mandate voter‑list requirements that override state election processes.