USPS rule could stop mail ballots without state voter lists

State election officials across the United States are confronting a new federal requirement that could drastically reshape mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. A proposed rule from the U.S. Postal Service, tied to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March, would require states to provide lists of voters eligible to receive mail ballots before the Postal Service will deliver them. Legal challenges from 23 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia are underway, with officials warning that the policy could lead to a virtual elimination of mail-in voting if upheld by courts.

The executive order instructs the Postal Service not to deliver ballots in states that do not grant the federal government access to their voter lists. The subsequent USPS proposal, published on May 29, outlines a process for states to submit a "Mail-In and Absentee Participation List" containing voters' names and corresponding ballot barcodes. The agency would then return a finalized list to state election officials. Ballots for voters not on this list would not be mailed. Supporters of the administration's approach argue the measures are necessary to ensure ballots...