U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Trump's Mail‑in Voting Rule

A three‑judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston rejected the Justice Department’s request to lift a preliminary injunction that barred the Trump administration’s executive order tightening mail‑in voting rules in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The panel upheld the lower‑court finding that key provisions of the order are unconstitutional, noting that the directive would create “incredible tension” for state election officials. The decision leaves the existing state voting procedures in place ahead of the November congressional elections and may be appealed to the Supreme Court. The judges on the panel were appointed by President Biden, with one judge dissenting in part.

The ruling follows challenges by several Democratic‑led states that argued the order would undermine voters’ ability to cast ballots by mail, a practice that has become pivotal in recent elections.