Published July 25, 2026 at 5:10 PM ET · Updated July 27, 2026 at 12:11 PM ET
Appeals court blocks Trump's mail-in voting order in 23 states, teeing up a Supreme Court fight
5 independent outlets are covering this story. Verification: Confirmed — reported independently by wire/mainstream and conservative outlets. Patriot Watch links to original reporting; we don't republish it.
An appeals court has upheld an injunction blocking President Trump's executive order on mail-in voting in 23 states. The ruling sets up a likely Supreme Court review of the order.
Patriot Watch first flagged this story 1 d ago, when Newsmax reported it. Coverage has since grown to 5 independent outlets, including 2 wire/mainstream feeds. The most recent report came 1 hr ago from Talking Points Memo. Verification tier: Confirmed — reported independently by wire/mainstream and conservative outlets.
⚖ The Constitutional Angle
Moore v. Harper held the Elections Clause does not vest exclusive authority in state legislatures over federal elections; election regulation is lawmaking constrained by constitutional structure. That structure assigns the power to set election rules to state legislatures and to Congress, which may override by statute. A presidential executive order on mail-in voting operates outside this allocation.
Moore v. Harper 600 U.S. 1 (2023)
Vote: 6-3 · Opinion: Chief Justice Roberts
(1) Jurisdiction: the case was not moot — the parties retained a personal stake because Harper III did not disturb Harper I's judgment invalidating the 2021 maps. (2) Merits: the Elections Clause does not vest exclusive and independent authority in state legislatures to regulate federal elections; when a legislature acts under the Clause it exercises lawmaking power constrained by the state constitution and subject to ordinary state judicial review (Marbury tradition; ASL v. AIRC; Smiley v. Holm). The maximal independent-state-legislature theory is rejected.
Precedent facts from the PW Law Library — primary-source verified & independently audited
