US Postal Service Unveils Ballot Rules Despite Court Blocks
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has published detailed plans for new mail-in ballot rules. This action comes even though US courts have twice blocked these rules from taking effect. The USPS shared the 95-page document last Friday. It said the rules could start immediately if the court’s order is removed.
Under these proposed rules, the Postal Service will not deliver mail-in ballots in states that do not give federal agencies voter records. States would need to tell the USPS which voters have asked for mail-in ballots. They would also have to redesign ballot envelopes to include special barcodes. These barcodes would help the Postal Service track voting materials.
The USPS said in its document that these changes are needed to follow federal law. The agency said these requirements are not about managing elections. It added that they help make mail delivery better and support federal law.
However, critics say President Donald Trump’s administration is trying to control how elections are run. Under the US Constitution, states are responsible for managing elections. Critics worry the Postal Service could use these rules to collect voter information. They also fear the USPS could reject ballots from states that do not meet Mr. Trump’s demands.
Since returning to office in 2025, President Trump has pushed for more voting restrictions. He has often made false claims about widespread election fraud. For example, he still says he won the 2020 presidential election, which he lost. Mr. Trump has also claimed other elections were “rigged” when he was not happy with the results.
Mail-in ballots have been a main focus for Mr. Trump. He says this voting method easily leads to fraud, but there is no proof for this. Despite his claims, Mr. Trump has voted by mail himself many times. Studies have shown that election fraud is very rare in the United States.
In March, Mr. Trump ordered the Postal Service to create new rules for mail-in ballots. The document published last Friday is a response to that order. Control of the US Senate and House of Representatives will be decided in elections this November.
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia quickly challenged Mr. Trump’s plan. Voting rights groups also filed a lawsuit. In June, US District Judge Indira Talwani stopped the rules from starting. She said states could choose to follow the rules, but the federal government could not force them. Judge Talwani again blocked the rules on August 11. She noted there were less than 90 days until the midterm elections.
The Postmaster General, David Steiner, has defended the plan. He said in June that the rules would ensure the number of ballots sent matches what states expect. After the rules went online, critics strongly spoke against the move. Democratic lawmakers also said the Postal Service is trying to change election rules too close to the elections.
