Election officials warn new USPS mail-ballot rules are unworkable before November vote
State and local election officials say the Postal Service’s new mail-ballot requirements cannot be met before the November elections without massive costs and delays.
Election administrators in more than 10,000 local jurisdictions contend that the Postal Service’s August 21 rule on mail-in ballots is practically impossible to implement before the November 3 elections. The regulation requires voter-specific barcodes on envelopes, submission of detailed voter data to a new online portal, and verification by postal workers, with non-compliant mail to be returned. Officials from states including New York, California, Hawaii, Colorado, Washington and Oregon report that meeting these standards would mean scrapping already-produced envelopes, spending millions on reprinting, and dedicating thousands of staff hours—some estimating decades of work.
A federal judge has placed a temporary injunction on the rule, while a hearing on longer-term relief continues. Critics argue the rule threatens disenfranchisement and could overwhelm small counties that lack the technology or personnel to comply.
Why it matters
The rule could disrupt mail voting for millions, risking delays or loss of ballots in the upcoming election.
How this story developed
- Aug 22 Supreme Court Halts Lower Court Block on Trump Mail-Voting Order Amid Implementation Hurdles
- Aug 29 U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied Trump’s third request to transfer the New York hush‑money case to federal court.
- Aug 29 Utah senators and a representative publicly praised the Supreme Court’s ruling and defended the state’s mail‑in voting system.
- Aug 29 A Maryland federal judge issued a preliminary injunction stopping President Donald Trump's latest executive order aimed at limiting birthright citizenship.
- Aug 30 A climate researcher introduced a Supreme Court‑expansion litmus test for Senate Democrats.
- Aug 31 The Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 stay overturning the district‑court injunction.
- Aug 31 David Steiner, the new Postmaster General, said the USPS will obey the court decision that ultimately prevails on the voting rule.
- Aug 31 Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine told Senator Elissa Slotkin that the U.S. military will not send active-duty forces or federalized National Guard members to polling places for the November 2026 midterm elections.
- Aug 31 Judge Indira Talwani denied a request to suspend the 14‑day temporary restraining order and set an expedited hearing on a preliminary injunction.
- Sep 1 Senator Slotkin formally requested a written response from the Pentagon about possible troop deployment to polling sites.
- Sep 1 A whistleblower disclosed that the Postal Service is proceeding with the verification portal despite the district court’s injunction.
- Sep 1 Jim Clyburn publicly advocated expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices.
- Sep 2 Speaker Mike Johnson announced a House vote on a constitutional amendment to limit the Supreme Court to nine justices.
- Sep 3 A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the order.
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