Mail voting rules advance despite USPS concerns
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
USPS advanced new mail ballot rules despite internal concerns. The rules could delay or block ballots for millions of voters.
Background
The USPS has been implementing an executive order signed by President Trump in March that tightens federal control over mail-in voting. The new rules require states to submit voter rolls to an online portal and use specific barcodes, with a 'zero percent failure rate' that could reject entire batches of ballots if any error is found. Internal officials and a whistleblower have raised concerns about the system's reliability and potential to disenfranchise voters. Courts have issued temporary blocks, but the administration is appealing.
How it unfolded
- Mar 2026President Trump signed an executive order directing USPS to implement new standards for mail-in voting.
- Aug 21, 2026USPS released a final rule outlining implementation, including requirements for state approval and voter list submission.
- Aug 26, 2026A 25-state lawsuit was filed challenging the new USPS rule.
- Aug 28, 2026The Supreme Court lifted a temporary block on implementing the order, ruling plaintiffs sued too early.
- Sep 1, 2026A whistleblower report released by Senator Blumenthal alleged the system is 'set up to fail' and may have violated court orders.
- Sep 2, 2026Mesa County, Colorado officials expressed concerns about barcode scanning and voter list accuracy.
- Sep 3, 2026New mail voting rules moved forward despite USPS officials' concerns about mass disenfranchisement.
Who’s saying what
- Whistleblower
- The system runs on a 'zero percent failure rate' and could reject entire batches of ballots, risking the right to vote for millions.
- Senator Blumenthal
- USPS lacks the technical capability to implement the order in a way that safeguards every citizen's right to vote.
- Mesa County Clerk
- The data is only as good as the person doing the work, and we have concerns about barcode scanning and voter list accuracy.
- League of Women Voters
- We oppose the administration's attacks on mail-in voting and are concerned about ballots being rejected for late arrival.
Still unverified
The whistleblower's allegations that USPS may have defied a court-ordered pause and continued work on the portal in July are unconfirmed.