A federal judge in Washington, DC has refused to immediately block President Donald Trump's executive order that would create a federal list of eligible voters and restrict the delivery of mail-in ballots, clearing the way for potentially far-reaching changes to American elections ahead of this year's midterm vote. US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, ruled late Wednesday against a request by Democrats and civil rights groups for a preliminary injunction, agreeing with the administration's argument that the challenge was premature because the order has not yet been implemented.

Trump signed the order in March after a legislative effort he backed to overhaul voting rules stalled in Congress. The directive instructs the Department of Homeland Security to compile lists of confirmed US citizens eligible to vote and requires the US Postal Service (USPS) to deliver mail ballots only to those appearing on state-specific voter lists. Critics, including election officials and the USPS workers' union, warned that the measure is ripe for abuse and could cause widespread confusion, particularly given concerns that the federal citizenship databases it relies on may contain errors or outdated information.

In his ruling, Nichols acknowledged that future actions to implement the order could still be challenged in court.