Democratic states sue to block Trump order limiting mail voting

Democratic-led states have renewed their legal efforts to block the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Donald Trump's executive order that restricts mail-in voting. The lawsuit, filed by attorneys general from 23 states and the District of Columbia along with Pennsylvania's governor, targets new requirements for ballot envelopes and voter lists that the USPS finalized last Friday.

This legal challenge comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted an earlier injunction that had blocked Trump's order, deeming the initial lawsuit premature. However, a federal judge in Boston, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, has issued a separate injunction against the USPS rule, though the Trump administration is seeking to have this order vacated.

Plaintiffs argue that the new requirements, including federal approval of envelope designs and the provision of voter eligibility lists, could create confusion, incur unnecessary costs, and risk disenfranchising voters. They contend the USPS lacks the authority to establish federal eligibility requirements for mail voting and that the rule infringes upon states' constitutional authority to administer elections. The states involved include California and Massachusetts, among others.

Voting rights groups and arms of the Democratic Party have also filed separate cases seeking to block the USPS rule, asserting it is now ripe for adjudication. Trump has consistently criticized mail voting, falsely claiming it contributed to his 2020 election loss.