The US Postal Service is pressing forward with a polarizing rule that would impose new federal requirements on states before delivering mail-in ballots, even as court orders currently block its implementation. The final rule, posted online Friday, is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register next week.
According to the text, the agency acknowledges two injunctions issued by federal courts in California and Massachusetts bar it from enacting the changes for now. The rule stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump in March, which seeks to limit mail-in voting by requiring states to share voter lists with the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies.
If states refuse to comply, the postal service would refuse to deliver ballots. The federal government has already sued 30 states and Washington DC for failing to hand over eligible voter information.
Despite the legal setbacks, the Trump administration continues to push ahead. The USPS states that if the injunctions are lifted in time, election officials will have as much notice as possible to meet preparation standards for Federal Ballot Mail envelopes and submit data to a new Federal Ballot Mail Portal. The portal will become active along with a verification process once the system of records governing it is published.
The move comes amid a backdrop of widespread mail-in voting. Nearly one in three Americans cast ballots by mail in 2024. Trump, however, has repeatedly sought to restrict access, arguing without evidence that it leads to fraud. His March order prohibits the USPS from delivering ballots to any voter not on a federal citizenship list maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.
The proposal also requires states to provide the postal service with names and barcodes tied to mail-in ballots for federal elections. During the public comment period, the service said it received more than 200,000 responses, reflecting the intense debate over the changes.
Notably, Trump himself voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary this year, marking at least the third time the president has used the very method he seeks to restrict.
