USPS Advances Ballot Mailing Rules After Court Declines to Block Trump Order
Summary
USPS proposed ballot-mailing rules with unique barcodes and verification steps after a judge declined, on procedural grounds, to block Trump’s order. Critics warn the changes could enable ballot tracking or interference.
Key points
- The proposed USPS rules would add unique barcodes, election-mail logos and verification steps for absentee and mail-in ballots.
- The rules describe barcode scans that could track individual ballot mail; critics warn this could facilitate federal monitoring or interference with delivery.
- Trump’s March executive order would require states to share eligible mail-voter lists with the federal government, which plans to cross-check them with DHS and DOJ data.
- The proposed rule says USPS would not change state-provided voter information or decide voter eligibility, but includes caveats critics say could allow USPS to affect ballot delivery.
- Judge Carl Nichols declined to block the order on procedural grounds, leaving plaintiffs able to renew their motions if future actions affect them; a separate Massachusetts lawsuit remains ongoing.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Proposed USPS mail-in ballot regulations following a court's refusal to immediately block President Donald Trump's executive order on elections.
- Impact
- The proposed rules would introduce unique barcodes, tracking, and verification procedures for mail-in and absentee ballots. Critics say these could enable federal monitoring or interference with ballot delivery; no such interference is reported as having occurred. A related lawsuit in Massachusetts remains ongoing.
People
Alexandra ChandlerDirector of Free and Fair Elections at Protect Democracy who criticized the proposed rule, saying it could disrupt election processes and ballot delivery.Carl NicholsJudge who declined to immediately block the executive order on procedural grounds; the article reports that plaintiffs may renew their motions if relevant future actions occur.Donald TrumpIssued the March executive order that would require states to provide the federal government with lists of voters eligible to vote by mail.
Countries
Industries
Electionsand prosecution of state and local officials or any others involved in the administration of federal elections who issue federal ballots to individuals not eligible to vote in a federal election.GovernmentThe proposed changes would add barcodes, tracking, and verification steps that critics say could let the federal government monitor or interfere with ballot delivery.