Story perspectives

Judge Lifts Injunction, Letting USPS Enforce Mail-Ballot Rule

8/28/2026

Summary

Talwani Lifts Injunction

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani lifted a nationwide injunction, allowing USPS to enforce its new mail-ballot rule.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined a 25-state coalition suing USPS over the rule.
The rule forces states to submit voter names and addresses to a portal.
The rule mandates barcoded USPS-approved ballot envelopes.
States claim the rule imposes costly redesigns and system upgrades weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms.

Summary

Colorado Adds ID

Colorado will vote in November on Initiative 362, adding ID to mail ballots.
Voters must add last four digits of their Social Security number or a full driver’s license.
Former El Paso County elections chief Chuck Broerman and attorney Suzanne Taheri filed Initiative 362.
Supporters gathered signatures funded by $2.2 million from dark-money group Coalition for American Prosperity and Growth, needing 55% support.
Ballots missing the secondary ID may be dismissed, with a cure process for correction.

History

Historical Context

After the 2000 Florida recount, President George W. Bush signed the Help America Vote Act on Oct 29 2002, allocating $3.5 billion to modernize voting machines and create statewide voter-registration databases overseen by the Election Assistance Commission. The law’s uniform federal registration form later survived the 2013 Supreme Court’s Arizona v. Inter-Tribal Council decision, shaping today’s mail-ballot standards and ongoing litigation.

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Talwani Lifts Injunction

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani lifted a nationwide injunction, allowing USPS to enforce its new mail-ballot rule.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined a 25-state coalition suing USPS over the rule.
The rule forces states to submit voter names and addresses to a portal.
The rule mandates barcoded USPS-approved ballot envelopes.
States claim the rule imposes costly redesigns and system upgrades weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms.

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