USPS Proposes Blocking Mail Ballots in States Withholding Voter Rolls, Threatening 2026 Voting
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 11
USPS Proposes Blocking Mail Ballots in States Withholding Voter Rolls, Threatening 2026 Voting
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 11
Summary
A proposed USPS rule would let the agency refuse to deliver mail ballots from states that do not provide voter-roll data to the federal government.
The plan appears to require states to compile lists of mail voters so postal workers can screen ballots for eligibility, giving the Postal Service an unusually broad role in election administration.
Less than 150 days before the 2026 general election, Democratic state attorneys general and voting-rights groups told a federal judge in Boston the rule is unconstitutional, costly and chaotic to implement.
Millions of voters could be affected in states that rely heavily on mail voting, with Democrats likely to bear more of the impact because they use mail ballots at higher rates.
The fight adds to a broader clash over whether the Trump administration can use a federal mail agency to influence state-run elections.
As of June 2026, the Trump administration’s new rule on mail-in voting—requiring voters to be listed on a federal 'Mail-In and Absentee Participation List' and directing the Department of Homeland Security to compile eligible voter lists—has sparked major legal and political battles. The administration claims these measures are needed for law enforcement and election integrity, but opponents argue they represent unconstitutional federal overreach and could disrupt election administration. With Democrats and voting rights groups challenging the rule in court, the outcome will shape how mail-in voting is managed and could impact voter access and confidence in the 2026 elections.