USPS releases draft rules to limit mail-in ballots amid court blocks

The United States Postal Service issued a final draft of proposed regulations that would limit the distribution of mail-in ballots in states that do not meet certain federal requirements. The 95-page document, released on Friday, outlines that states must provide voter-request data and redesign ballot envelopes with barcodes that the Postal Service could use to track voting materials. The agency argues the measures are needed to ensure compliance with federal law and to improve operational efficiency, stating, "These requirements do not amount to election administration, nor do they usurp state resources. Rather, they regulate the use of the mail to improve operational efficiency and support the faithful execution of federal law."

The draft comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in March directing the Postal Service to adopt new mail-in ballot rules. Critics say the proposal would expand federal oversight of election administration, a responsibility traditionally reserved for states, and could be used to collect voter information or reject ballots in non-compliant states. Voting-rights groups and leaders from 23 states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits challenging the rules.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani has issued two preliminary injunctions blocking the regulations, citing the imminent midterm elections and the potential for confusion and erosion of public trust. In her August ruling, Talwani wrote that "enfranchisement heavily outweighs the executive’s attempt to unconstitutionally insert itself into the domain of election regulation."

Postmaster General David Steiner defended the proposal, saying it would help postal officials match ballots that states intend to send with those actually mailed. Democratic lawmakers and voting-rights advocates have condemned the move, with one critic describing the Postal Service's action as a capitulation to the administration.