WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is appealing a judge’s ruling that blocked limitations on mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections, the latest twist in a court fight unfolding days before the first states begin sending out mail-in ballots for the crucial November election. The notice of appeal filed Friday comes after a federal judge in Boston issued a new decision blocking the implementation of an executive order from President Donald Trump for the next two weeks. The Supreme Court previously allowed the plan to move forward on procedural grounds, but has not done so. decided if it’s legal. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit will soon consider the case, although it could soon return to the nation’s highest court. Under Trump’s executive order, the USPS could refuse to deliver ballots from states that do not submit lists of eligible voters and follow a uniform envelope style. The White House calls the plan a set of “common sense measures” aimed at protecting the security of ballots, and calls the order blocking it “unreasonable and illegal.” Celina Stewart, executive director of the League of Women Voters, which sued to block Trump, said the plaintiffs are confident the law is on their side. “I hope federal judges continue to maintain their constitutional authority and duty,” Stewart said, adding, “The bottom line for voters is that, at this point, their right to vote has not changed.” U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani concluded that states do not have the time or money to design and produce new ballots, update their systems and train officials to upload voter data to the Postal Service in the short time before the midterm elections. The first mail-in ballots for the general election to determine control of Congress are scheduled to be sent out on September 4. Sign up for the Ground Game newsletter: your guide to the biggest stories in American politics, policy and elections. Thursday’s ruling came after Democrats and voting rights groups filed a new round of lawsuits to comply with the recent Supreme Court decision. They point out that the Constitution gives the states and, in some cases, Congress the power to set election rules, not the president or the Postal Service. The legal battle could have major ramifications for the midterm elections. Nearly a third of Americans vote by mail, and election officials say there is not enough time to overhaul their systems to comply with new Postal Service directives. The president has long targeted mail-in voting, which he falsely blames for his 2020 election loss, although he himself uses it to cast his ballot. A Brookings Institution report published in 2025 found that mail-in voting fraud occurred in only about four cases of every 10 million mail-in votes cast. Trump’s executive order was challenged in court shortly after it was issued in March. Talwani, nominated for the position by President Barack Obama, agreed to block him for the midterm elections. But the Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that it had acted too soon. The Post Office plan has since been finalized. Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.
