Federal Judge Blocks USPS Operational Changes — Rules DeJoy's Reforms Politically Motivated and Likely to Disenfranchise Voters

U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian in Washington state grants a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's operational changes, ruling that they are politically motivated and 'likely to disenfranchise voters.' The order requires the USPS to reverse the changes — including restoring overtime, ending the 'leave mail behind' policy for truck departures, and halting removal of sorting machines and collection boxes. The suit, brought by 14 states, follows multiple other legal challenges. DeJoy's lawyers inform the court that many sorting machines have already been 'disassembled for parts' and cannot be returned to service — 95% of the 671 machines slated for removal were already gone. Despite the nationwide injunction, postal workers in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware report new operational changes being implemented, including a 5 a.m. cut-off for mail sorting. Attorney General Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania calls the continued changes 'deeply concerning.' On Election Day, a federal judge orders the USPS to conduct sweeps of facilities in key battleground states to search for undelivered ballots, expressing 'shock' that earlier orders had been disregarded.