Trump suffers fresh court defeat over mail voting

Trump suffers fresh court defeat over mail voting

Another setback for Trump

A federal judge has again blocked Donald Trump’s attempt to impose sweeping new rules on mail voting, ruling that his administration cannot force the US Postal Service to help implement an executive order that would create a federal voter list and restrict delivery of mail ballots. The ruling is another significant legal setback for the president as the November midterm elections approach.

Judge warns of election chaos

Judge Indira Talwani, who had already halted the March executive order, said the fact that the midterms are now less than 90 days away made an injunction particularly important. She warned against allowing the administration to change election rules on the eve of voting, while arguing that the executive branch has no constitutional authority to regulate elections.

Supreme Court showdown ahead

The Trump administration has already asked the Supreme Court to overturn lower-court decisions blocking the changes, meaning Tuesday's ruling is unlikely to be the end of the battle. Trump argues that tighter controls are necessary to protect the integrity of American elections, while voting-rights groups say neither the president nor the Postal Service has the authority to rewrite election rules.

The bigger fight over US elections

The dispute goes far beyond mail ballots. Trump is also pushing legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voting, while Republicans have sought wider federal involvement in election administration. Democrats and voting-rights groups argue that the Constitution leaves election rules primarily to Congress and the states. With the midterms approaching, the courts are increasingly becoming the battleground over just how much power a president can exercise over America's elections.

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