Boston judge blocks Trump election order on voter lists and mail ballots

A federal judge in Boston blocked key parts of President Trump’s March 31 election order, which had directed federal agencies to help compile state citizenship lists and pushed the Postal Service toward new ballot-mail rules. The ruling came on June 25, 2026, and AP reported that it applies to the 2026 midterm cycle.

The injunction applies to the 23 states and the District of Columbia that challenged the order. It bars federal defendants from carrying out Sections 2 and 3 against those plaintiff states for the November 3, 2026 election or any earlier election, and it also stops DOJ from starting investigations or prosecutions tied to those enjoined provisions in those states. The court left room for non-binding USPS guidance and for citizenship-verification help if a state requests it and Congress allows it.

For voters and election officials, the practical effect is that the challenged voter-list and mail-ballot changes do not take effect in the suing states unless the ruling is narrowed or reversed on appeal. The White House said it would appeal.

Sources

• White House presidential action: Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections
• District of Massachusetts order in the election-order case
• Associated Press report on the Boston ruling