Federal Judge Blocks Trump Executive Order Restricting Mail-In Voting as Unconstitutional

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani struck down key provisions of President Trump's March 2026 executive order that attempted to restrict mail-in voting by creating federal citizenship lists and giving the U.S. Postal Service authority to limit who receives mail ballots. The 37-page ruling in the case filed by 22 states, D.C., and Pennsylvania's governor found Trump lacked constitutional authority to regulate state elections and that the order "unconstitutionally violate[d] the separation of powers." Judge Talwani wrote that the executive order "impermissibly intrudes on the states' constitutional authority to regulate federal elections" and blocks implementation before the November 2026 midterm elections. This represents Trump's second major attempt to federalize election administration, following a previous executive order that another judge had allowed to stand. The administration has not yet announced whether it will appeal the decision.

"The executive order impermissibly intrudes on the states' constitutional authority to regulate federal elections." — From Judge Indira Talwani's 37-page ruling striking down Trump's mail-in voting restrictions