Federal Appeals Court Rejects Trump Administration’s Bid To Enforce Mail Ballot Order Before Midterms

A federal appeals court has ruled against the Trump administration’s effort to immediately enforce key provisions of President Trump’s executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting rules ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The decision leaves in place a lower court injunction that blocks the administration from implementing several parts of the order while the legal challenge continues.

In a 2-1 decision, the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Justice Department’s request to lift the injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani. The administration had argued that legal challenges were premature because federal agencies had not yet finalized the policies needed to carry out the executive order. The appeals court disagreed, concluding that the order’s deadlines had already forced states to begin preparing for compliance.

President Trump’s executive order, signed earlier this year, sought to strengthen election integrity by directing federal agencies to work with states on voter eligibility verification and mail ballot procedures. Among its provisions were requirements involving citizenship verification, federal voter eligibility lists, and new standards governing the handling of mail-in ballots. Supporters argued the measures would improve confidence in elections, while opponents contended the president lacked the constitutional authority to impose such requirements on state-run election systems.

The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of 23 Democratic-led states, led by California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington. The states argued that the Constitution gives them primary authority over administering elections and that the executive order improperly attempted to override state election laws through executive action. Judge Talwani previously agreed with that argument when issuing the injunction now upheld by the appeals court.

The ruling represents another legal hurdle for the administration’s election integrity agenda, but it is unlikely to be the final word. The Justice Department is expected to continue its appeal, with the dispute potentially headed to the U.S. Supreme Court as the legal battle over federal authority and election administration continues ahead of November’s midterm elections.