In a victory for election security, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has greenlit the United States Postal Service’s ability to move forward with a significant mail-in voting change.
This new rule would require states to provide voter lists and serialized ballot barcodes in order for the USPS to mail out ballots for federal elections.
Take a look at the ruling here:
🚨 The D.C. Circuit has temporarily allowed the U.S. Postal Service to move forward with its proposed election-mail rule requiring states to submit voter lists and serialized ballot barcodes before USPS will mail federal ballots, staying a district judge’s order. pic.twitter.com/MRfGcBWa8S
— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) July 17, 2026
The implications of this ruling are huge.
While the decision is not final, and there will be more legal battles ahead, this temporary win sets the stage for reshaping how mail-in ballots are handled nationwide.
For instance, if California refuses to turn over its voter rolls, then residents may not be able to use mail-in ballots at all in this year’s midterm elections.
The New York Post reported further:
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday temporarily allowed the US Postal Service to move forward with a proposed election-mail rule requiring states to provide voter lists and serialized ballot barcodes before federal ballots are mailed — a move supporters say will strengthen election safeguards.
For California, where nearly all voters receive ballots by mail, the decision could mark a major turning point in the ongoing battle over election confidence following repeated complaints about slow vote counts and unproven allegations of widespread fraud…
The appeals court’s order does not resolve the underlying lawsuit but temporarily allows the Postal Service to move forward with the proposal while the case is reviewed.
Supporters say the changes are aimed at restoring confidence in a system that has faced mounting scrutiny, particularly in California, where mail ballots dominate elections.
In response to the ruling, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli called it a “win for election integrity”:
This ruling is a win for election integrity and would have significant implications for states like California that refuse to submit their voter rolls to verify compliance with federal election laws. https://t.co/6p60ZKlYu1
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) July 18, 2026
President Trump has been pushing for major restrictions on mail-in ballots for quite some time.
This new USPS rule on mail-in voting was part of the Executive Order on election integrity that President Trump signed back in March.
Of course, this order has been contested in court ever since.
Democracy Docket provided some additional background:
The rule stems from President Donald Trump’s March executive order attacking mail-in voting.
The rule stems from President Donald Trump’s March executive order attacking mail-in voting.
Under the proposal, states would have to send USPS information about voters who requested mail-in or absentee ballots, along with barcode information tied to those ballots. USPS would then use those lists to determine whether to transmit ballot mail.
Voting rights advocates have warned that Trump’s rule could allow USPS to refuse to deliver ballots to eligible voters if they are not on approved lists or if states fail to comply with new federal requirements.
The NAACP challenged the rule in a 2020 case over USPS delays that threatened mail voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, USPS agreed to a court-enforced settlement requiring it to prioritize the timely delivery of election mail through 2028.
Earlier this month, Sullivan agreed with the NAACP that the proposed rule would violate that settlement and ordered USPS not to implement it.
But on Friday, a three-judge D.C. Circuit panel paused Sullivan’s order while USPS appeals.
Today’s ruling by the D.C. Circuit is a good sign that things are swaying in favor of President Trump.
Eric Daugherty noted on X:
🚨 JUST IN — TRUMP WINS IN COURT: Federal court UPHOLDS the US Postal Service advancing President Trump’s requirement to mandate states send in their voter rolls for citizenship checks, if they want their ballots mailed in the midterms — for now
The order also requires proper… pic.twitter.com/w4QeHei6HZ
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 18, 2026
JUST IN — TRUMP WINS IN COURT: Federal court UPHOLDS the US Postal Service advancing President Trump’s requirement to mandate states send in their voter rolls for citizenship checks, if they want their ballots mailed in the midterms — for now
The order also requires proper tracking
KEEP PUSHING! This EO is still being battled in court and an activist judge could still step in to block it once full enforcement begins
SECURE ELECTIONS!
Keep pushing to make our elections safe and secure!
What are your thoughts?
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
