Gov. Kotek says federal court ruling blocking Trump administration’s attempts to interfere with how USPS can deliver ballots is “another important win for Oregon voters”

Oregon – Gov. Tina Kotek praised a federal court ruling temporarily blocking new Trump administration restrictions on Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, calling it “another important win for Oregon voters” and thanking Attorney General Dan Rayfield for leading the state’s legal fight.

“Another important win for Oregon voters,” Kotek said. “A federal court just temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s attempt to disrupt Oregon’s vote-by-mail system. Oregon has shown the country that vote-by-mail works. Thank you, AG Rayfield. We’ll keep standing up for Oregon voters!”

The ruling came after a federal judge temporarily blocked key provisions of a new U.S. Postal Service rule that would impose additional requirements on states using mail-in ballots. The Trump administration had sought to implement the changes ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, Reuters reported.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued the temporary order, preventing the Postal Service from enforcing the new requirements while the legal challenge continues. Reuters reported that the order would remain in effect for 14 days, with a hearing scheduled for Sept. 3 on whether a longer-lasting injunction should be issued.

The dispute stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump seeking to impose tighter rules on mail voting. Among the proposed changes were requirements involving voter information and the design and processing of ballot envelopes.

The Trump administration has argued that the changes are intended to strengthen election security. Opponents have challenged the federal government’s authority to impose the requirements, arguing that the Constitution gives states primary responsibility for administering elections.

Oregon officials have been among the strongest opponents of the federal effort. The state has relied on vote-by-mail for decades, with ballots mailed to registered voters and returned through the mail or designated drop boxes.

The latest court order followed a series of legal battles over the administration’s effort to change mail-voting procedures nationwide. Earlier in August, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Trump’s executive order to proceed after ruling on a procedural issue, removing an earlier obstacle to implementation. The Supreme Court’s decision did not resolve the underlying constitutional questions surrounding the policy, according to AP News.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield celebrated the latest ruling, describing it as a major development in protecting the state’s vote-by-mail system.

“We got a HUGE court order last night protecting vote-by-mail,” Rayfield said, adding that the federal court had temporarily blocked Trump’s attempts to interfere with how the USPS can deliver ballots.

Oregon officials have said they are prepared to continue challenging any federal action they believe unlawfully interferes with the state’s election system. In a statement from the Oregon Department of Justice, Rayfield said he would immediately sue if the Postal Service unlawfully attempted to interfere with Oregon’s vote-by-mail process.

The legal fight is particularly significant for Oregon because vote-by-mail is deeply established in the state’s election system. Oregon became the first state to conduct all elections by mail after voters approved the expansion of the system in 1998.

Kotek has repeatedly defended the system while criticizing the Trump administration’s efforts to impose federal requirements on state-run elections. Earlier this week, she and other Oregon officials said the Supreme Court’s decision did not mean Oregon’s vote-by-mail system would immediately change, noting that additional legal and administrative steps would still be required.

The latest ruling temporarily prevents the new USPS requirements from taking effect while the broader legal challenge moves forward. The Trump administration has already appealed the decision, meaning the dispute could return to higher courts before the November elections.

For Oregon voters, the immediate effect is that the state’s existing vote-by-mail procedures remain in place while the court considers the broader legal questions.

Kotek said the ruling represented a victory for Oregon voters and reaffirmed her administration’s intention to continue defending the state’s election system against what she described as federal interference.

“Oregon has shown the country that vote-by-mail works,” Kotek said. “We’ll keep standing up for Oregon voters.”