Oregon AG challenges federal government’s ability to regulate ballots

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- The federal government petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday to lift an order blocking a new U.S. Postal Service mail ballot rule.

The emergency petition comes as a federal court considers whether to issue a preliminary injunction that would keep the regulation on hold during ongoing litigation. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of state leaders filed a lawsuit challenging the rule on Aug. 26, 2026.

Rayfield, the attorney general of Oregon, criticized the federal government's petition to the high court, emphasizing that states hold authority over voting administration.

“The federal government has no business playing referee over who gets a ballot in our elections,” Rayfield said. “The job of the U.S. Postal Service is to deliver the mail. States run elections and this fight is about protecting the integrity of our vote.”

The lawsuit was brought by a coalition that includes 23 states, the District of Columbia and the governor of Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs argue that the regulation upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures and violates the U.S. Constitution, which grants states primary authority to run elections.

According to details released by Jenny Hansson, communications director for the Office of the Attorney General, the complaint further alleges that the rule is inconsistent with governing statutes for the Postal Service, bypasses agency procedural requirements, violates the Privacy Act and conflicts with federal voting rights law.

A federal court is currently weighing whether to grant a preliminary injunction that would keep the Postal Service rule blocked while the legal challenge moves forward.