A federal appeals court on Friday partly softened a legal setback tied to the Trump administration’s U.S. Postal Service policy on handling mail-in ballots. The court said USPS may move ahead with proposed changes to ballot delivery procedures even as the broader legal fight continues.
The ruling does not fully revive the policy, however. According to the decision, the administration’s rule remains on hold because a separate court order is still blocking it, leaving the underlying dispute unresolved.
The case centers on how election mail is processed and delivered, an issue that has drawn intense scrutiny because of concerns about whether ballots can reach voters and election officials on time. Friday’s appeals court action appears to narrow one obstacle for USPS, while stopping short of giving the administration a complete victory.
With multiple legal challenges still active, the future of the policy remains uncertain. For now, the decision means some proposed USPS changes can continue, but the Trump-era rule itself is still stalled pending further court action.
