Whistleblower alleges USPS mail-ballot system may cause widespread delays
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An anonymous federal employee warned that the Postal Service’s new online portal for processing mail ballots could face technical failures and hinder vote delivery, prompting Sen. Richard Blumenthal to question Postmaster General David Steiner.
An unnamed federal official who disclosed information through lawyers to Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the U.S. Postal Service’s newly designed online portal for handling mail-in ballots may be “untested” and could encounter significant operational problems. The whistleblower claims the system, which requires state election officials to upload voter names, addresses and barcode data, could reject entire batches of ballots if a single barcode fails to scan, potentially delaying thousands of votes.
Blumenthal told reporters that the Postal Service’s approach “puts all of their votes at risk” and described it as “sabotage.” He has written to Postmaster General David Steiner urging the agency to halt the rollout, which the Postal Service plans to launch by Sept. 1.
The Postal Service has not responded to requests for comment. The agency says it will not determine voter eligibility or count ballots, but critics argue the federal rule infringes on state authority over elections. A federal judge recently blocked enforcement of the related Trump executive order, though the Supreme Court later lifted that injunction on procedural grounds.
Election experts warned that the verification process could create “tremendous” hurdles for voters and increase the likelihood of ballot delays. The Postal Service aims to have the portal operational before several states begin sending mail ballots in September.