USPS finalizes new mail-in voting rules despite court injunctions

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has finalized a 95-page rule intended to change mail-in ballot procedures ahead of the November 2026 elections. The rule mandates that states provide voter lists to the Department of Homeland Security and adopt specific ballot design standards. If states do not comply, the USPS would refuse to deliver mail-in ballots.

These changes aim to align mail-in delivery with an executive order signed by Donald Trump in March. However, the implementation is currently blocked by federal court injunctions. A Massachusetts federal judge, Indira Talwani, issued an injunction citing constitutional concerns, stating that the executive order is causing confusion and threatening trust in democracy. Critics and voting rights advocates argue the rule violates the Elections Clause, which grants states authority over election rules.

The Trump administration is seeking to have these injunctions lifted. While the USPS maintains it will not personally verify individual eligibility or cross-reference state registries, the requirement to upload voter data to a federal portal represents a significant shift in the agency's role in the election process.