Justice Department defends USPS mail-ballot rule amid court challenges

In a late-night filing, the Justice Department presented its most comprehensive defense of a final United States Postal Service rule that mandates new ballot envelope specifications and establishes a federal database of absentee-ballot requests, asserting that the Postal Service has long exercised comparable authority over other sensitive mail. The filing responded to lawsuits from pro-voting rights organizations and several blue states seeking a federal injunction, which they argue would let the USPS reject ballots for voters appearing on a non-statutory list.

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts criticized the rule as an unlawful mechanism to deny mail delivery to eligible voters. Separately, a federal district judge issued a temporary order blocking a separate Trump administration directive that imposed extensive mail-voting restrictions, indicating the dispute will likely ascend to the Supreme Court. Legal analysts note the outcome could shape how mail-in voting operates in upcoming midterm elections.

Former Homeland Security adviser Miles Taylor has suggested the administration may be pursuing additional, undisclosed tactics to influence the election. The combined legal challenges highlight a contentious fight over voting access and postal authority.