A US federal judge on May 1 rejected a request to temporarily block President Donald Trump's executive order tightening rules on mail-in voting.
Judge Carl Nichols of the Washington DC district, appointed by Trump, ruled that the Democratic lawsuit is not yet ripe because the order has not been enforced. Nichols emphasized that the administration is still developing rules and procedures to implement the measure, making any potential harm too speculative for immediate judicial intervention.
In his ruling, the judge acknowledged that future actions by federal agencies could still face legal challenges. He wrote: “The Court acknowledges that USPS may eventually issue a final rule that directly affects Plaintiffs, or the government may compile a list of state citizens that omits specific individuals. Plaintiffs may, of course, renew their motion if such actions occur. Until then, they have not shown that emergency injunctive relief is warranted.”
Trump's order requires the Department of Homeland Security to compile and transmit lists of eligible US citizens for each state, and directs USPS to send mail-in ballots only to voters appearing on specific state absentee and mail-in ballot lists. Voting rights groups warn the measure could rely on outdated or inaccurate federal citizenship databases and place an undue burden on USPS, which does not directly administer elections.
Mail-in voting has expanded across the US, including in both Republican and Democratic-leaning states. It grew during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains popular; about one-third of votes in the 2024 election were cast by mail. Eight states now conduct nearly all elections by mail and report strong integrity indicators.
However, Trump has repeatedly linked mail-in voting to election fraud without substantial evidence. Democrats and civil rights groups argue the executive order violates the US Constitution by granting the federal government power over the “times, places and manner” of elections, a role reserved for states, and that only Congress can impose new federal restrictions. The lawsuit also questions Trump's motives, warning that changes close to the November election could cause confusion and disruption.
A coalition of Democratic-led states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts. Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, is expected to hear the case on June 2. Another Trump executive order from last year requiring voters to prove citizenship and banning states from counting mail-in votes received after Election Day was blocked by three federal judges; the administration is appealing.
