WASHINGTON, DC — Judge Nichols wrote in the injunction that plaintiffs demonstrated an increased risk that valid ballots would not be counted without judicial intervention. "Plaintiffs have demonstrated that, absent an injunction, there is an increased risk that a significant number of otherwise appropriate absentee or mail-in ballots will ultimately not be counted in the upcoming elections," Judge Nichols wrote. He added that "the public has a strong interest in ensuring that doesn’t happen."

The US Postal Service rule was issued on 21 August 2026 and stems from an executive order issued by Donald Trump earlier in 2026. Election officials stated it would be impossible to implement the Postal Service changes this close to a general election. The US Supreme Court is weighing the Trump administration’s request to overturn a separate order blocking the same Postal Service rule.

Leaders of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts state the institution is facing bankruptcy and could close as soon as Tuesday. The Kennedy Center board of trustees is scheduled to vote on Tuesday on whether to close the main building due to financial and safety needs. A 57-page report prepared by the Kennedy Center trustees states the institution could be unable to make payroll or pay routine maintenance contracts within weeks.

Kennedy Center management has deemed the building unsafe for continued occupancy. A section of ceiling plaster fell about 60 feet in the Kennedy Center Grand Foyer on 4 September. The Kennedy Center collected approximately $124 million of its projected $220 million in revenue, leaving a roughly $23 million deficit after spending cuts in the past fiscal year.

Why It Matters

The preliminary injunction prevents immediate changes to mail-in voting procedures ahead of upcoming elections, addressing concerns raised by election officials about implementation timelines. The ruling intersects with ongoing legal challenges at the Supreme Court regarding the same Postal Service rule, indicating continued judicial scrutiny of the administration's regulatory actions.

The financial crisis at the Kennedy Center shows operational vulnerabilities at major cultural institutions, with leadership proposing naming rights as a potential solution to revenue shortfalls. The combination of safety hazards and fiscal deficits presents immediate operational challenges for the national cultural center.

Timeline

In May 2026, Judge Nichols previously refused to issue an injunction because he ruled the lawsuit was brought too early. The US Postal Service rule was issued on 21 August 2026.

On 13 September 2026, District Judge Carl J Nichols issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from implementing a new US Postal Service rule tightening mail-in voting requirements. He wrote in the injunction that plaintiffs demonstrated an increased risk that valid ballots would not be counted. He also stated the public has a strong interest in ensuring that does not happen.

How Sources Differ

Reports differ on the specific rationale for recognizing Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board of trustees report states that Kennedy Center leaders argue that publicly recognizing Donald Trump on the building’s exterior would help secure fundraising to keep the institution afloat. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board of trustees draft resolution indicates that trustees are being asked to choose among 10 texts to place on the building’s exterior beneath its name to credit Donald Trump with the renovation.