Trump’s mail-in voting restrictions blocked by a second judge – US politics live

Federal Judges Block Implementation of US Postal Service Mail Voting Rule

A second federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the US Postal Service from enforcing a rule issued on August 21 that alters requirements for mail-in and absentee ballots. The US Supreme Court continues to consider the administration’s request to lift a separate earlier order blocking the same rule.

On Sunday, District Judge Carl J. Nichols in Washington, DC, granted the injunction after finding that plaintiffs had shown an increased risk that a significant number of otherwise valid absentee or mail-in ballots would not be counted in upcoming elections. Nichols stated that the public interest favored preventing that outcome. In May, Nichols had declined to issue an injunction on timeliness grounds, a position the Supreme Court later adopted when it lifted an earlier order by District Judge Indira Talwani. After the Postal Service issued the rule, plaintiffs refiled in both Boston and Washington. Talwani was appointed by former President Barack Obama; Nichols was appointed by President Donald Trump.

The rule originated from an executive order issued earlier this year. State and local election officials have stated that the changes cannot be implemented in time for the general election.

President Trump is in Washington on Monday following a weekend in Ireland. He has no public events scheduled and is expected to hold closed-door meetings at the White House.

In other developments, President Trump on Sunday urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries and related infrastructure, citing resulting global diesel shortages. The statement followed US diesel prices reaching a record average above $6 per gallon on Friday.

US authorities transported a diplomat accused of possessing indecent images of children from the United Kingdom to the United States without prior notification to the Metropolitan Police. British officials have received calls to address the matter after reports that US personnel searched the diplomat’s London residence in August and then moved the individual to a US airbase for departure.

A statue of activist Charlie Kirk at the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, was marked with red spray paint. A poster display near the statue was also defaced.

A Pennsylvania coroner reported the death of a 40-year-old woman linked to the state’s measles outbreak, marking the third such death in the ongoing incident. The two prior deaths involved infants: one born with a genetic condition increasing vulnerability to infection and the other resulting from a ruptured spleen after measles infection.

Representative Tom Tiffany, Republican of Wisconsin, reported swimming to safety after the light aircraft he was aboard lost power and landed in Lake Wausau on Saturday evening. Tiffany had been returning from an event in La Crosse County; both he and the pilot reached shore.

Former President Barack Obama, speaking at a closed-door fundraiser in Manhattan last week, called for Democrats to develop a broad public discussion on artificial intelligence governance, including safety measures, employment effects, and impacts on children.

The Kennedy Center board of trustees is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to close the main building, according to documents reviewed by the Washington Post. The documents indicate potential inability to meet payroll and maintenance obligations within weeks. The board packet also includes options for exterior signage that would recognize President Trump in connection with renovation funding.

The Association of State Democratic Committees plans to train volunteers across 57 states and territories to staff approximately 25 percent of the nation’s 95,000 polling places on Election Day, with emphasis on competitive districts. Volunteers are to wear blue vests and focus on poll monitoring, early voting encouragement, and rapid response to reported disinformation. Each state party maintains a trained election protection director. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that immigration enforcement personnel are not assigned to polling locations but may respond to specific threats or warrants. The administration has not announced plans to deploy federal agents to polling sites.

The Postal Service rule and the two injunctions remain the subject of ongoing litigation. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the administration’s request to vacate the earlier order. Election officials continue to assess operational effects of any changes that might ultimately take effect.