Governor Tina Kotek Applauds Federal Court Injunction Protecting Oregon Vote-by-Mail System

Salem, OR — Reaffirming the constitutional authority of states to administer elections without federal administrative interference, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Attorney General Dan Rayfield commended a decisive federal court order blocking new United States Postal Service (USPS) rules that sought to impose restrictive delivery mandates on mail-in ballots, according to official state executive notices and reporting by The News-Review.

The federal litigation, brought by Oregon in coalition with 23 state attorneys general and the District of Columbia, challenged administrative rules promulgated under an executive order that directed the Postal Service to establish new verification checklists and delivery restrictions for state election mail. State officials argued that the proposed rules effectively converted federal postal workers into unauthorized arbiters of state voter registration records, threatening widespread ballot delivery delays.

In granting a 14-day temporary restraining order pending a full preliminary injunction hearing, the federal district court found that the multistate coalition demonstrated significant likelihood of success on claims that the USPS exceeded its statutory authority and violated the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Governor Kotek lauded the judicial ruling as an essential victory for Oregon voters, emphasizing that the state’s pioneered universal vote-by-mail system—enacted by statewide ballot measure in 1998—has provided over two decades of secure, transparent, and high-turnout civic participation across urban, suburban, and rural counties alike.

Attorney General Rayfield affirmed that state legal teams will continue aggressive litigation to secure permanent injunctive relief, ensuring that postal facilities process and deliver official ballots promptly without procedural bottlenecks as county clerks prepare general election distributions.

Election law scholars in Portland and Eugene note that preserving uniform postal transit standards is critical for Western states that conduct elections primarily by mail. With general election preparation underway across all 36 Oregon counties, the ruling ensures administrative stability for election administrators and registered voters heading into the autumn cycle.