Nichols already paused the rule. This is the building that stopped pouring concrete.
Associated Press via NBC News, Thursday 7:53 p.m. ET: Postmaster General David Steiner said the Postal Service has stopped work on developing a computer system that was central to President Donald Trump’s effort to limit mail voting after the Supreme Court rejected his executive order this week. “There’s an injunction, so we’re not doing anything.” He offered no assessment of the court’s action. A quote is not a statute. Judge Carl Nichols’s injunction already ran.
Trump’s March executive order directed agencies to develop state citizenship lists for an online Postal Service portal; mail ballots would go only to voters cleared through that process. Steiner said he knew about the order about a month before it was unveiled and looked at it “more from the execution side.” A whistleblower report released by Sen. Richard Blumenthal argued the system was hastily built and riddled with errors. Steiner read “portions,” called it a monumental task, and said he had planned to unveil it around Sept. 15. A planned unveil is not a live portal.
A Wednesday memo to all Postal Service employees, obtained by AP: the agency will “not be enforcing any of these new rules in the 2026 federal election.” “First and foremost, for Election Mail it is business as usual.” Established protocols. Nov. 3 remains the midterm. Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicated he might rule in the administration’s favor if the issue returns later. A concurrence is not this year’s enforcement.
Steiner: still encourage envelopes and barcodes in future elections; not required, but non-barcode mail may cost more. “If you use the barcode in the envelope, we’ll charge you a lower price.” He said there were no plans to alter operations tied to postmark delays in Washington and Oregon, and told voters who use mail to get ballots in early. “We say seven days. Everything is solved if people vote early.” Seven days is advice, not a statute. Public-charge’s Friday effective date is a different rule.
What this means for you
If you needed Nichols, that file exists. If you needed a 2026 portal, Steiner says it is not running. If you mail a ballot, he said seven days. An injunction is not the last word.
Bottom line: Work stopped. 2026 is business as usual. Not a portal. Not the last court.
GLHR NEWS explains the news. Not investment, tax, or trading advice. Do your own work before you act.
