Appeals court keeps block on USPS mail ballot rule

A federal appeals court has left in place an injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service from enforcing new mail-in ballot requirements for the November 3 midterm elections, setting up a likely final decision by the Supreme Court. A three-judge panel of the Boston-based First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the lower court injunction should remain while litigation continues, finding that the rule would likely disenfranchise millions of voters while providing minimal gains in combating voter fraud. The rule, finalized by USPS effective August 21 to implement a March executive order signed by President Donald Trump, would require ballot envelopes to carry voter-specific Intelligent Mail barcodes, states to submit information about mail-ballot recipients to a newly created federal portal, and state and local officials to obtain USPS approval for new envelope designs. Under the rule, the Postal Service could refuse to deliver ballots that do not comply with the new standards. U.S.