North Carolina Begins Mail-Ballot Distribution Amid Ongoing Legal Disputes Over Trump-Backed Restrictions

North Carolina became the first state to begin widespread mailing of ballots for the 2024 midterm elections on Friday, even as courts consider challenges to a presidential executive order that would impose new limits on mail voting. State election officials said they will continue to mail ballots as planned and are prepared to run a secure election should the order be upheld.

“We believe that we are well positioned,” Sam Hayes, executive director of the State Board of Elections, told reporters.

The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump in March, would require states to submit voter eligibility lists through an online portal that remains inactive and would mandate new envelope designs with barcodes. A preliminary injunction blocking the order was issued on Friday, and the administration has appealed the decision.

Election administrators noted that media coverage of the legal fight has generated confusion among voters. “The biggest part of this is that it has sparked questions about what it is. ‘What does this mean? What are you guys doing? Can I not vote by mail anymore?’” said Michael Dickerson, director of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections. He added that mail voting remains “a safe and secure process.”

In Wake County, staff are processing absentee requests, coding ballots, and preparing packets that include a ballot, instructions and photo-ID flyers; about 5,000 ballots are slated for the first mailing wave. Officials expect a quick turnaround for military and overseas voters who can use an online portal to request ballots.

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the executive order, argued that the changes are “far too late in the election cycle” and would cause “significant harm, confusion and disruption.” The State Board of Elections, which has a Republican majority, said it has taken initial steps to comply with the order, such as submitting envelope designs for Postal Service review, but has not submitted voter data while litigation continues.

Separately, the United States Postal Service faces criticism over operational changes that some states say have led to a rise in rejected mail ballots because of delayed postmarks. The agency maintains that its standards are unchanged and offers a manual postmark option at local post offices.

Other states, including Alabama, plan to begin mailing ballots in September, with all states required to send ballots to military and overseas voters by mid-month. Legal experts note that the window for major election-system changes for this cycle has passed, and several groups have filed papers supporting states in the fight against the new postal rules.