US Postal Service hits legal roadblocks over proposed mail-in ballot rule

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has published a proposed rule to implement a March 31, 2026 executive order that would require states to submit lists of approved mail‑in voters to a federal database and would refuse delivery of ballots not on those lists. The rule attracted a record number of public comments, with the comment period ending on July 2, 2026.

A coalition of 23 Democratic‑led states, including the District of Columbia, sued to block the order. A D.C. Circuit judge ruled that the USPS rule violates a 2021 settlement with the NAACP that obligates the agency to prioritize timely delivery of election mail through 2028. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also declared the executive order’s primary provisions “legally void.” The Department of Justice has appealed the decisions, seeking to lift the stay so the USPS can comply with the executive order before the November election. The final rule must be published by July 29, 2026.