U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a ruling Tuesday broadening the scope of her previous injunction against President Trump's executive order concerning mail-in voting for the upcoming midterm elections.
The expanded order prohibits the U.S. Postal Service from continuing implementation of the presidential directive in any state. This marks a significant shift from Talwani's June ruling, which applied only to the 23 predominantly Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., that filed suit challenging the order.
The decision arrives while the Supreme Court deliberates on whether to intervene in the case following the initial injunction.
In her latest opinion, Talwani determined that voting rights organizations requesting the broader injunction have demonstrated a strong likelihood of success in proving the executive order exceeds presidential constitutional authority. The judge, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, additionally concluded that the order has generated voter confusion.
The executive order in question requires the U.S. Postal Service to obtain voter eligibility lists from state governments and restrict absentee ballot delivery exclusively to individuals appearing on those lists.
President Trump has characterized the measure as necessary to prevent illegal voting by non-citizens. However, numerous research studies have determined that such voting occurs at extremely low rates.
The nationwide injunction ensures postal workers cannot proceed with the verification and restricted delivery system outlined in the presidential order as legal challenges continue through the federal court system.
