California voters accustomed to waiting days or even weeks for final election results may soon see changes after a federal appeals court gave the US Postal Service temporary clearance to advance a proposed election-mail rule with potential nationwide consequences.
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday allowed the Postal Service, for now, to proceed with a plan that would require states to submit voter lists and use serialized ballot barcodes before federal ballots are sent through the mail. Backers argue the rule would add another layer of protection to the election process.
The ruling carries particular significance in California, where mail voting is central to the election system and nearly every registered voter receives a ballot by mail. The state has faced persistent criticism over slow ballot counting, along with unproven claims of widespread voter fraud.
“This ruling is a win for election integrity and would have significant implications for states like California that refuse to submit their voter rolls to verify compliance with federal election laws,” said First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli.
The appeals court order is not a final decision in the broader legal fight. Instead, it lets the Postal Service continue developing the proposed rule while the lawsuit remains under review.
Supporters of the measure say the changes are intended to rebuild trust in mail voting and tighten election procedures in states where ballots sent through the Postal Service play a dominant role.
Election officials have defended California’s system as safe and secure, while acknowledging that processing millions of ballots takes time. Los Angeles County, for example, has more than 10 million residents — a population larger than many entire states — making vote counting a massive logistical operation.
California officials have also pushed back against Trump’s claims of voter fraud.
The appeals court decision does not finalize the future of the Postal Service rule or Trump’s broader election order, but it gives federal officials a temporary win as the legal fight continues.
Court documents identify the case as National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. United States Postal Service and Louis DeJoy, No. 26-5257, before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
In its two-page order, the three-judge panel concluded the Postal Service met the legal standard for a stay pending appeal, clearing the way for the proposed election-mail rule to proceed as the litigation moves forward.
