VOTE is the Message on this Colorfl Sign by Mainer Lynn Beasley at the August 15, 2026, Protest Against Collins-Trump in Monument Square, Portland.

A federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration from interfering with states rights to conduct mail-in voting for the upcoming November elections, now 67 days away.  Judge Indira Talwan ruled yesteday that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in proving the administraton’s order was unconstitutional according to a press release received from the Secretary of State’s office Shenna Bellows late this morning.

“Last night’s decision was wonderful news for Maine voters who rely on absentee voting,” Secretary Shenna Bellows said.  “The judge made clear that the states, not the federal government, are in charge of elections.  That goes to the heart of our legal fights in court against the Trump Administrtion.  We will continue to stand with other states and voting rights advocates across the nation to defend the voting rights — including the right to vote by mail – for every citizen.”

In the decision, Judge Talwan wrote, “the Constitution charged the States with election administration” going on to say that no law has been passed by Congress that “would permit the USPS to regulate election mail.”  The Judge went even further to note that with just two months to the election, it would an expensive and likely impossible task for the 2026 election, saying “Plaintiff States face irreparable harm where they are required to comply with a likely unconstituional regulation for which compliance is practically impossible.”

For background information on the lawsuit filed by AG Attorney Frey and the Coalition, please visit post herein dated August 26, 2026.