The United States Postal Service has published a 95-page final draft of proposed rules that would restrict the use of mail-in ballots, although federal courts have blocked the rules from taking effect. The USPS said it shared the document on Friday so the restrictions could be implemented immediately if an existing injunction is reversed.
The proposed rules would bar the Postal Service from distributing mail-in ballots in states that do not comply with federal demands for voter records. They would also require states to identify voters who requested mail ballots and redesign ballot envelopes with barcodes that USPS could use to track and identify voting materials.
What the proposed rules would require
The USPS argued in the document that the changes would ensure compliance with federal law, improve postal operations and support what it called the faithful execution of federal law. It said the requirements would not amount to election administration or take over state resources.
Critics say the plan would give the federal government an improper role in election administration, which is assigned to the states under the US Constitution. They warn that the Postal Service could collect voter information and reject ballots in states that do not comply with President Donald Trump’s demands.
How the courts blocked the plan
Trump issued an executive order in March instructing the Postal Service to create new rules on mail-in ballots. Leaders from 23 states and the District of Columbia challenged the administration’s plans, while voting rights organisations filed a separate lawsuit.
US District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the rules in June, saying states could choose to adopt them voluntarily but the federal government could not impose policies such as barcoding. On August 11, she issued another preliminary injunction in the voting rights case, citing confusion, potential chaos and the risk of damage to public trust with fewer than 90 days before the midterm races.
Why the rules matter for the midterms
Control of the US Senate and House of Representatives will be contested in November, with Democrats seeking to regain one or both chambers. The timing has intensified criticism from Democratic lawmakers and voting rights advocates, who say the Postal Service is attempting to change election rules only months before the races.
Postmaster General David Steiner defended the plan in June, saying it would help postal officials match the ballots a state believes it is sending with what is actually sent. The rules remain blocked unless the existing court injunction is reversed.
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