States Sue Over Postal Service Mail-Voting Rule Changes Tied to Trump Executive Order

President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing changes to U.S. Postal Service handling of mail-in ballots, prompting legal challenges ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. On August 26, 2026, a coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, filed a lawsuit arguing the rule change violates the Constitution and federal law by usurping Congress's authority to set federal election rules. The states contend that only Congress, not the president or the Postal Service, has authority over federal election procedures. A federal judge initially blocked implementation of the USPS changes, but on August 26, 2026, that judge lifted the obstacle, allowing the Postal Service's effort to proceed, at least temporarily, while litigation continued. Democratic-controlled states then filed an additional legal challenge the same day. By September 3, 2026, a federal judge was hearing arguments on whether to extend the prohibition against the Postal Service implementing the executive order's mail-voting restrictions during the midterms. Multiple lawsuits from Democratic state attorneys general remained active, seeking to fully block the rule changes. As of early September 2026, the legal status of the Postal Service mail-voting rules remained unresolved, with courts weighing whether to extend or lift the block amid ongoing litigation. It is unresolved whether the rules will ultimately be implemented before the midterm elections or permanently blocked. Separately, a Trump executive order titled 'Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation,' issued around September 18, 2026, directed federal agencies to prioritize recreational fishing and reconsider related scientific and environmental standards; this order drew criticism from ocean conservation advocates, though it is not corroborated by multiple independent sources in this collection.