USPS Mail-In Ballot Rules Blocked Ahead of Midterms

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has implemented new restrictions on mail-in ballot handling ahead of the November midterm elections, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March. These measures are now in effect despite ongoing legal challenges.

According to multiple reports, USPS officials expressed concerns that the new regulations could delay or block ballots from reaching eligible voters. The rules require states to provide USPS with lists of eligible voters and use these lists to determine which ballots get sent. A whistleblower warned of 'potentially catastrophic problems' with the system, claiming it was built in just three months instead of the usual year or more.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a 14-day temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of key aspects of the rule, finding that it is likely to cause 'substantial confusion' among states implementing it ahead of the elections

Judge Talwani stated that compliance by the midterm elections is 'practically impossible.'

The whistleblower's disclosure, provided to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, detailed problems with USPS's plans to restrict mail-in voting.

Senator Blumenthal stated, 'The Postal Service has designed a system to disenfranchise millions of Americans.'

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift the block on the USPS plan. Key parts of the plan, including requirements for states, are currently blocked by a court order. Voting by mail is still available to all voters who are eligible for it in their states, and USPS is expected to deliver mail-in ballots for the midterm election as usual.

State and local election officials have raised significant concerns about the logistical hurdles of implementing the new requirements just weeks before the November elections. Mail ballots will go out to voters in several states in mid-September, leaving election officials with little time to make the changes that the Postal Service is calling for. The Trump administration has described the rule as imposing 'modest informational requirements' on states and localities, but numerous top election officials warn that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to satisfy these new requirements.

Election officials from various states have detailed the challenges in court filings. For example, an official in New York stated that adding voters to a new portal would require more than 10 years' worth of cumulative work by state and local employees. Another official from California noted that scanning individual ballots for every voter in the state would take roughly 43 years based on Postal Service estimates. The rule requires states to include specific design elements on mail ballot envelopes, such as unique barcodes for each voter, and submit certain voter information into an online portal.

The court submissions from election officials highlight not only the difficulties with adhering to the Postal Service's new regulations but also the varying procedures and rules that govern each state's elections. The whistleblower has warned of 'potentially catastrophic problems' with the Postal Service's system, stating that the agency's new mail ballot portal is 'untested' and its development was 'rushed.' The whistleblower also warned that the Postal Service's new verification process could keep significant numbers of mail ballots from being delivered.