A federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump has ruled against a new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) regulation aimed at imposing stricter requirements on mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. District Judge Carl J. Nichols issued a preliminary injunction blocking the rule, which would have required states to submit lists of voters eligible to receive mail ballots to the Postal Service and mandated unique barcodes on ballot envelopes. The USPS would have been authorized to reject delivery of ballots if voters were not included on these lists or if states failed to comply with the new standards.

The ruling comes as the Supreme Court reviews the legality of the Trump administration’s plan, which faces multiple legal challenges. Another federal judge in Massachusetts, Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, had also blocked the rule earlier this month, finding it likely unconstitutional. Both judges expressed concerns that the policy could disenfranchise voters by increasing the risk that valid ballots would not be counted.

Judge Nichols wrote that the administration failed to present evidence of substantial fraud that would justify the rule. He also stated that there is a significant risk of valid absentee ballots being rejected if the regulation took effect. Additionally, Nichols questioned the legal authority of the Postal Service to enforce the rule, noting that no federal statute explicitly empowers the agency to screen voters or create a data collection system for mail-in ballots.

The rule originated from an executive order signed by President Trump in March directing the Postal Service to preregister voters casting ballots by mail and to decline ballot deliveries for those not listed by state election officials. Democratic-aligned groups, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and various civil rights organizations, filed lawsuits arguing the rule unlawfully interfered with state authority over elections and could result in improperly rejected ballots, particularly given the difficulties in maintaining accurate, up-to-date voter lists.

Republican-led states involved in the lawsuits have indicated willingness to comply with the new Postal Service procedures if allowed by the courts, but state election officials warned the rule could cause confusion, noting that some states had already begun distributing mail ballots under existing procedures.

With the midterm elections approaching, the matter remains under the Supreme Court’s consideration. The Trump administration has informed the justices about Judge Nichols’s ruling and argued that if permitted, Nichols would be compelled to lift the injunction, allowing the rule to take effect immediately. The court’s final decision is expected to have significant implications for mail voting processes in the upcoming elections.