USPS Mail-In Ballot Rule Finalized but Blocked by Courts

The U.S. Postal Service finalized a rule late Friday, August 21, 2026, that would require states to provide lists of voters receiving mail-in ballots to the federal agency, but its implementation remains blocked by federal court orders. The move advances President Donald Trump's March 31 executive order seeking tighter controls on mail voting ahead of the November midterm elections.

Under the 95-page rule, which will be formally published in the Federal Register on August 26, states intending to use the Postal Service for ballot delivery must submit the names and addresses of eligible voters to the agency. States would also need to include a unique barcode on both the outbound and return ballot envelopes. The Postal Service stated it would not collect party affiliation and postal workers would not inspect ballot contents. If the rule takes effect, the agency said it would refuse to deliver ballots to states that do not comply with these new standards.

USPS Postmaster General David Steiner defended the regulation when it was first proposed in June, saying it ensures the agency "match the ballots that a state believes they're sending out to what actually gets sent out." The Postal...