US appeals court rules Trump cannot implement mail-in voting order

A federal appeals court in Boston has rejected the Trump administration's attempt to implement an executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting rules in 23 states. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift an injunction secured by several Democratic-led states, which a lower court judge had issued on June 25, deeming key parts of the order unconstitutional. The Justice Department had argued that the lawsuit was premature as government agencies had not finalized implementation actions. However, the appeals court, in a 2-1 ruling, stated, "The Plaintiff States have no practical choice but to respond to the (order) now." The executive order, signed in March, directed the Department of Homeland Security to compile voter eligibility lists and required the US Postal Service to only deliver ballots to voters on approved mail-in ballot lists. The lower court judge, Indira Talwani, found that President Trump lacked the authority for these directives and could not "intimidate local election officials" through his order.