U.S. Postal Service Raises First-Class Stamp Price, Seeks Voter ID Lists

The United States Postal Service announced a 4.8% increase in the price of first‑class stamps, raising the cost from 78 cents to 82 cents effective July 12. The hike was approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission and is part of a broader effort to address the agency’s $9 billion net loss for fiscal year 2025 and avert a projected cash shortfall that could jeopardise mail delivery by early 2027. Postmaster General David Steiner told Congress that expanding borrowing capacity is essential to keep the service operating.

In parallel, the USPS is proposing a new rule that would require states to supply lists of voters who received mailed ballots, a move linked to a recent executive order by former President Donald Trump. The proposal follows a federal judge’s decision not to block the order and comes amid ongoing political battles over mail‑in voting, including recent Supreme Court rulings upholding grace periods for counting postmarked ballots received after Election Day.