Whistleblower warns USPS mail ballot plan could cause election disruption

A federal official who filed a whistleblower complaint says the U.S. Postal Service’s technology for handling mail ballots under President Donald Trump’s executive order has not been adequately tested and could fail on a large scale. The complaint, prepared by Whistleblower Aid and sent to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, describes the process as “secretive, rushed, chaotic, and fundamentally flawed.”

The whistleblower warns that the new verification procedures could prevent millions of voters from receiving their ballots on time, potentially disrupting the upcoming midterm elections. The complaint notes that the Postal Service resumed work on the plan in late July despite a federal judge’s June 25 order blocking it, and that the Supreme Court later lifted that block because a final rule had not yet been issued.

"We urge you to abandon this ill-conceived, unconscionable plan and ensure that all Americans can exercise their constitutional right to vote, including by mail, without interference," Sen. Blumenthal wrote to the Postal Service.

The Postal Service has not responded to requests for comment. The plan, which requires ballots to be delivered only to voters on lists compiled by the Department of Homeland Security, has faced multiple legal challenges from voting-rights groups and Democratic officials who argue it interferes with state election administration.