Second federal judge freezes Trump mail ballot order with Supreme Court poised to weigh in, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/second-federal-judge-freezes-trump-mail-ballot-order-supreme-court-rcna597633)

Here is a summary of the report:Key DevelopmentA second federal judge, U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols in Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction barring the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from enforcing a new rule stemming from President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to place restrictions on mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.Key Points of the Case

• The Injunction & Reasoning: Judge Nichols ruled that without an injunction, there is a significant risk that valid mail-in or absentee ballots would not be counted in the upcoming midterm elections, noting that the public has a strong interest in preventing voter disenfranchisement.
• Supreme Court Involvement: The ruling follows an earlier decision by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, who also blocked the USPS from enforcing the rule. The Trump administration appealed Talwani’s ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is poised to address the matter.
• What the Rule Entailed:
  • Required state election offices to submit ballot envelope designs to the USPS for prior approval.
  • Required states to upload voter identity information into a newly proposed online portal that remains inactive.
• Logistical Hurdles & Pushback:
  • Election administrators warned that rolling out these requirements weeks before a major election is logistically unfeasible.
  • Mail-in ballots are already being dispatched to voters in several states, including North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Alabama.
  • The union representing postal workers opposed the executive order, emphasizing that postal employees are not tasked with assessing or verifying voter eligibility.