AG Rayfield Secures Court Order to Protect Oregonians’ Voting Rights

A federal court today granted a temporary restraining order blocking the key provisions of the U.S. Postal Service's rule restricting delivery of mail-in ballots, siding with Oregon and a coalition of states that sued to stop it from taking effect ahead of the November election.

"This is a win for every Oregon voter," said Attorney General Dan Rayfield. "Oregonians have trusted vote-by-mail for more than 25 years because it works. It's secure, it's convenient, and it lets every eligible voter make their voice heard - and today the court agreed that Donald Trump can't upend that system just a few months before ballots go out.

"The Postal Service does not get to decide who receives a ballot in Oregon. That authority belongs to the states, and this order confirms it. While this fight isn't over, this ruling means Oregon voters can count on the system they know as we head into the fall election."

The court's order temporarily blocks the key provisions of the USPS rule for 14 days, giving the court time to rule on the states' motion for a preliminary injunction. AG Rayfield and the coalition - 23 states, the District of Columbia, and the Governor of Pennsylvania - filed the lawsuit August 26. The lawsuit argues that USPS's rule violates the Constitution, which makes clear that states have the primary authority to administer elections, and upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures. The lawsuit also argues the rule is inconsistent with USPS's governing statutes, ignores USPS's procedural requirements, violates the Privacy Act, and is inconsistent with federal voting rights law.