US Postal Service Finalizes Rules to Restrict Mail-in Voting Pending Court Rulings

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has published a 95 page final rule that would restrict mail-in voting, implementing an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March. The new regulations would prevent the USPS from delivering mail-in ballots in states that do not share voter data with the federal agency. Additionally, the rules would require the agency to analyze each envelope for specific standards and require states to redesign ballot envelopes to include barcodes for tracking and identification.

While the USPS has finalized these rules, they are currently blocked by federal court injunctions. The agency stated it will not implement the rules for the 2026 elections unless the Supreme Court rules in favor of the government. The Department of Justice has petitioned the Supreme Court for a decision, and the USPS noted that immediate implementation would follow if the injunctions are lifted, providing election officials time to comply before the November midterm elections.

President Trump has repeatedly claimed that mail-in voting is a form of fraud, although sources note he has voted by mail himself. He previously told Republican lawmakers that restricting mail-in ballots, which are used more frequently by Democrats, would help his party secure the midterm elections. In response to these plans, leaders of 23 states and the District of Columbia, along with voting rights organizations, have challenged the rules in court.

Outlets with a center lean describe the move as the USPS meeting the president's request. Center-left and left leaning sources frame the action as an attempt by the Trump administration to exert federal control over election administration, a task they state belongs to the states under the US Constitution.