Story perspectives

Court Blocks Trump’s Mail-In Voting Order for 23 States

7/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked President Donald Trump’s mail-in voting order for 23 states.
July 25, 2026, 2-1 panel upheld Indira Talwani’s June 25, 2026 injunction declaring provisions unconstitutional.
The order would have forced Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to compile citizenship lists and Postal Service to deliver ballots to those voters.
Court warned order could cause confusion and disenfranchise voters before September primaries and November 2026 midterms.

History

Historical Context

The 1965 Voting Rights Act required preclearance for jurisdictions with histories of discrimination, covering 15 states until the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision struck down the coverage formula. That ruling spurred voting restrictions, later examined in Brnovich v. DNC (2021). In July 2026 a federal appeals panel blocked President Trump’s DHS-USPS mail-in voting directive, invoking same constitutional concerns.

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Story summary

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked President Donald Trump’s mail-in voting order for 23 states.
July 25, 2026, 2-1 panel upheld Indira Talwani’s June 25, 2026 injunction declaring provisions unconstitutional.
The order would have forced Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to compile citizenship lists and Postal Service to deliver ballots to those voters.
Court warned order could cause confusion and disenfranchise voters before September primaries and November 2026 midterms.

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