USPS mail-voting rule blocked by judge amid election concerns
Federal judge issues temporary restraining order against new Postal Service policies that could delay ballots.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

US Postal Service
Photograph: Common Dreams (embedded from source)
What this story says
- A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking new U.S. Postal Service rules on mail-in voting on August 28, 2026.
- A USPS whistleblower warned that millions of mail ballots could be delayed or blocked by the new policies.
- Election officials have stated they cannot comply with the rushed requirements before the upcoming midterm elections.
- The Trump administration is appealing the latest court order that freezes the mail-in voting rule.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 67 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 8 of the 75 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
78/100
Craft
65/100
Hype
35/100
75 sources · methodology
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on August 28, 2026, halting new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) policies concerning mail-in voting. This action followed warnings from a USPS whistleblower that millions of mail ballots could face delays or be blocked due to the new regulations. The Trump administration is appealing this order.
The USPS rule, implemented under a March executive order from President Donald Trump, has drawn criticism from election officials who say they cannot meet its requirements before the midterm elections. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, along with 25 other states, secured a temporary restraining order against the USPS rule. The U.S. Supreme Court had previously lifted a pause on the Trump administration's mail-ballot order on August 24, 2026.
Disagreement on court actions
The Devils Lake Daily Journal reported that a federal judge froze the Trump administration regulation to restrict mail voting for two weeks on August 28, 2026, calling the USPS rule a violation of states’ power to administer elections. In contrast, glasgowcourier.com stated that the U.S. Supreme Court gave way on August 24, 2026, for President Donald Trump to have a hand in regulating mail-in ballots nationwide.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports printed below mention the U.S. Supreme Court lifting a pause on Trump’s mail-ballot order on August 24, 2026, as reported by glasgowcourier.com.
Coverage settled. We checked this 9 times and stopped on 8 Sept 2026, 19:00. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
23 rated outlets
- Common Dreams led on Senator Bernie Sanders's statement that President Trump's actions regarding mail-in voting constituted an "authoritarian power grab." Sanders claimed Trump sought to rig the election and that mail-in voting is secure, citing his own use of it.
- Other left-rated outlets focused on the practical implications of the new USPS rule. Election officials warned that compliance would be impossible, leading to "chaos" and potentially disenfranchising voters. Some reports highlighted that the USPS was building a ballot screening system despite ongoing court battles.
- The Seattle Times, NOTUS, Raw Story, Arizona Mirror, CNN, Joe.My.God., Salon, and Dothan Eagle all reported that election officials stated they could not comply with the new rules. The Watauga Democrat, El Paso Inc., and Daily Post-Athenian noted Colorado would proceed with mailing ballots as usual, despite the order.
Centre
33 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports highlighted the legal actions surrounding the USPS mail-voting rule. The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle and The Grafton News reported that Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and 25 states secured a temporary restraining order against the USPS rule. bdemo.com noted that the Trump administration is appealing the latest order freezing the mail-in voting rule. The Devils Lake Daily Journal reported on the federal judge's order blocking the rule, while France24 focused on the USPS whistleblower's warning about potential ballot losses.
Right
11 rated outlets
- The Center Square, the Herald Palladium, the Elkhart Truth, the Daily Courier, Shelby News, Rochester Sentinel, Mountain Democrat, the Courier‑Times and thedailybs.com each led on Colorado’s plan to mail ballots to every registered voter for the November midterm election. All nine digests noted that the effort continues despite ongoing litigation over a federal order and conflicting judicial rulings concerning the U.S. Postal Service.
- None of the right‑rated digests mention the district judge’s decision to block the mail‑voting rule, any cost estimates, or statements from election officials. The summaries also contain no quoted remarks from parties involved, indicating that those details were omitted from the coverage presented by these outlets.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover USPS mail-voting rule blocked by judge amid election concerns?
- Of the 67 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 34% are rated left, 50% are rated centre, 16% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 75. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is USPS mail-voting rule blocked by judge amid election concerns left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 67 rated outlets on this story, 34% are rated left, 50% are rated centre, 16% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of USPS mail-voting rule blocked by judge amid election concerns biased?
- USPS mail-voting rule blocked by judge amid election concerns is one event reported by 75 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered USPS mail-voting rule blocked by judge amid election concerns?
- 75 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the new USPS rule concerning mail-in voting?
- The new U.S. Postal Service rule, stemming from a March executive order by President Donald Trump, places new restrictions on mail-in voting. These include requirements for scanning each ballot envelope individually and collecting voter data through an online portal, which election officials warn are difficult to comply with.
- Why has the USPS mail-voting rule been blocked?
- A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the USPS rule on August 28, 2026. This followed warnings from a USPS whistleblower about potential ballot delays and a legal challenge by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and 25 other states, who argued the rule violated states' power to administer elections.
- What are the concerns about the new USPS mail-voting policies?
- Concerns include that the new policies could delay or block millions of mail ballots from reaching voters ahead of the midterm elections. Election officials have also stated they cannot comply with the rushed requirements before the election, warning of potential chaos and disenfranchisement.
Read it at the source
75 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
23- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens ashepostandtimes.com in a new tab)
ashepostandtimes.com — is ashepostandtimes.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Fairfield Sun Times in a new tab)
Fairfield Sun Times — is Fairfield Sun Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Daily Post-Athenian in a new tab)
Daily Post-Athenian — is Daily Post-Athenian biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens El Paso Inc. in a new tab)
El Paso Inc. — is El Paso Inc. biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Watauga Democrat in a new tab)
Watauga Democrat — is Watauga Democrat biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Delaware lawmakers warn Trump’s mail ballot order could disenfranchise voters (opens WHYY in a new tab)
- Insider Warns: New US Electoral System Could Cost Millions of Votes (opens t-online in a new tab)
- New mail voting rules moved forward despite USPS officials’ concerns about mass disenfranchisement (opens Salon in a new tab)
Show 15 more
- Trump Is About to Get the Mail-Ballot Chaos He’s Been Looking For (opens Slate in a new tab)
- Election officials: Mail ballot rule too late (opens Dothan Eagle in a new tab)
Dothan Eagle — is Dothan Eagle biased? Our profile of this outlet
- “Catastrophic Failure”: Postal Service Whistleblower Warns Mail-In Voting Rules Could Derail Election (opens Democracy Now! in a new tab)
Democracy Now! — is Democracy Now! biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Postal Service is building ballot screening system despite ongoing court fight (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- “Election Officials Warn It Could Take Years to Send Out Mail Ballots Under New USPS Rule” #ELB (opens electionlawblog.org in a new tab)
electionlawblog.org — is electionlawblog.org biased? Our profile of this outlet
- California Black Civil Rights Leaders Mobilize to Defend Voting Rights (opens Los Angeles Sentinel in a new tab)
Los Angeles Sentinel — is Los Angeles Sentinel biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Election Officials Warn It Could Take Years to Send Out Mail Ballots Under New USPS Rule (opens NOTUS in a new tab)
- Why the rushed Postal Service plan for mail-in voting has states in a panic • Maine Morning Star (opens mainemorningstar.com in a new tab)
mainemorningstar.com — is mainemorningstar.com biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Why the rushed Postal Service plan for mail-in voting has states in a panic • Washington State Standard (opens washingtonstatestandard.com in a new tab)
washingtonstatestandard.com — is washingtonstatestandard.com biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Paralyzed DOJ won't deny 'catastrophic' risks of Trump mail-vote scheme in court (opens Raw Story in a new tab)
- Why the rushed Postal Service plan for mail-in voting has states in a panic • Rhode Island Current (opens rhodeislandcurrent.com in a new tab)
rhodeislandcurrent.com — is rhodeislandcurrent.com biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- NYT: USPS Is Quickly Building Ballot Screening System (opens Joe.My.God. in a new tab)
Joe.My.God. — is Joe.My.God. biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘There will be chaos’: states describe impossibility of complying with Trump's rushed mail-voting rule (opens Arizona Mirror in a new tab)
Arizona Mirror — is Arizona Mirror biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 'We Must Stop Trump’s Authoritarian Power Grab,' Sanders Says of Assault on Mail-In Voting (opens Common Dreams in a new tab)
Common Dreams — is Common Dreams biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Election officials say they can’t comply with Trump’s proposed mail ballot rules (opens CNN in a new tab)
Centre
33- Trump Is Running Out of Time – "Practical Impossible" (opens News38 in a new tab)
- Trump Is Running Out of Time – "Practical Impossible" (opens derwesten.de in a new tab)
derwesten.de — is derwesten.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Lake and McHenry County clerks facing uncertainty over vote-by-mail ballots amid lawsuits challenging Trump's executive order (opens Lake and McHenry County Scanner in a new tab)
- Election officials raise alarm over implementing new mail voting rules before midterms: "Virtually impossible" (opens CBS News in a new tab)
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Your Alaska Link in a new tab)
Your Alaska Link — is Your Alaska Link biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Delaware Business Now in a new tab)
Delaware Business Now — is Delaware Business Now biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens hazard-herald.com in a new tab)
hazard-herald.com — is hazard-herald.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens http://www.wfxg.com in a new tab)
http://www.wfxg.com — is http://www.wfxg.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 25 more
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Appalachian News-Express in a new tab)
Appalachian News-Express — is Appalachian News-Express biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens romesentinel.com in a new tab)
romesentinel.com — is romesentinel.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens News-Graphic.com in a new tab)
News-Graphic.com — is News-Graphic.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Pacific Daily News in a new tab)
Pacific Daily News — is Pacific Daily News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Leader Publications in a new tab)
Leader Publications — is Leader Publications biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Idaho County Free Press in a new tab)
Idaho County Free Press — is Idaho County Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens SF Weekly in a new tab)
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens NE Iowa Publishing in a new tab)
NE Iowa Publishing — is NE Iowa Publishing biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens KPVI in a new tab)
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens KAKE News in a new tab)
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Columbia Gorge News in a new tab)
Columbia Gorge News — is Columbia Gorge News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens InsideNoVA.com in a new tab)
InsideNoVA.com — is InsideNoVA.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Star Local in a new tab)
Star Local — is Star Local biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Indiana Gazette Online in a new tab)
The Indiana Gazette Online — is The Indiana Gazette Online biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Postal service is building ballot screening system despite ongoing court fight (opens West Hawaii Today in a new tab)
West Hawaii Today — is West Hawaii Today biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Postal service is building ballot screening system despite ongoing court fight (opens Hawaii Tribune-Herald in a new tab)
Hawaii Tribune-Herald — is Hawaii Tribune-Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Election Officials Warn Trump Mail Ballot Rules May Be Impossible to Implement (opens News Facts Network in a new tab)
News Facts Network — is News Facts Network biased? Our profile of this outlet
- AG Campbell Secures Court Order Temporarily Blocking Postal Service’s Unlawful Mail Voting Rule - The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle (opens Millbury-Sutton Chronicle in a new tab)
Millbury-Sutton Chronicle — is Millbury-Sutton Chronicle biased? Our profile of this outlet
- USPS builds ballot screening system despite ongoing court battles | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (opens Star Advertiser in a new tab)
Star Advertiser — is Star Advertiser biased? Our profile of this outlet
- AG Campbell Secures Court Order Temporarily Blocking Postal Service’s Unlawful Mail Voting Rule (opens The Grafton News in a new tab)
The Grafton News — is The Grafton News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- U.S. Supreme Court lifts pause on Trump mail-ballot order (opens Devils Lake Daily Journal in a new tab)
Devils Lake Daily Journal — is Devils Lake Daily Journal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US postal whistleblower warns thousands of midterm ballots could be lost (opens France24 in a new tab)
- Trump administration appeals latest order freezing rule on mail-in voting (opens bdemo.com in a new tab)
- Union County elections may be impacted by Trump executive order (opens The Standard-Journal in a new tab)
The Standard-Journal — is The Standard-Journal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump administration asks US appeals court to lift order ... (opens Reuters in a new tab)
Right
11- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens thedailybs.com in a new tab)
thedailybs.com — is thedailybs.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Princeton Clarion in a new tab)
Princeton Clarion — is Princeton Clarion biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Mountain Press in a new tab)
The Mountain Press — is The Mountain Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Courier-Times in a new tab)
The Courier-Times — is The Courier-Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Mountain Democrat in a new tab)
Mountain Democrat — is Mountain Democrat biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Rochester Sentinel in a new tab)
Rochester Sentinel — is Rochester Sentinel biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Shelby News in a new tab)
Shelby News — is Shelby News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Daily Courier in a new tab)
The Daily Courier — is The Daily Courier biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 3 more
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Elkhart Truth in a new tab)
The Elkhart Truth — is The Elkhart Truth biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Herald Palladium in a new tab)
The Herald Palladium — is The Herald Palladium biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens The Center Square in a new tab)
The Center Square — is The Center Square biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
8- Trump Is Running Out of Time – "Practical Impossible" (opens thueringen24.de in a new tab)
thueringen24.de — is thueringen24.de biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- “Catastrophic Failure”: Postal Service Whistleblower Warns Mail-In Voting Rules Could Derail Election | WNYmedia Network - Buffalo, NY Reader (opens WNYmedia Network in a new tab)
WNYmedia Network — is WNYmedia Network biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colorado prepares to mail ballots as usual despite order (opens Sunnyside Sun in a new tab)
Sunnyside Sun — is Sunnyside Sun biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Why the Rushed Postal Service Plan for Mail-in Voting has States in a Panic (opens FEDweek in a new tab)
FEDweek — is FEDweek biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Oregon Mail Voting Faces New Concern After USPS Whistleblower Warns of Ballot Rejections (opens Daily Tidings in a new tab)
Daily Tidings — is Daily Tidings biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New mail voting rules moved forward despite USPS officials’ concerns about mass disenfranchisement (opens Attention to the Unseen in a new tab)
Attention to the Unseen — is Attention to the Unseen biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Postal Service moves ahead with mail ballot rule amid court battle (opens glasgowcourier.com in a new tab)
glasgowcourier.com — is glasgowcourier.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Why the rushed Postal Service plan for mail-in voting has states in a panic - Now Georgia (opens nowgeorgia.com in a new tab)
nowgeorgia.com — is nowgeorgia.com biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
How did this read?
About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.


