USPS and Election Ballots: Proposed Rule Discussion
During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner indicated to Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.) that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) would refrain from mailing election ballots in states that do not provide absentee voter lists to the federal government.
Peters inquired specifically if the USPS would send out ballots from states that decline to share their absentee voter lists. Steiner responded, “With our proposed regulations, the answer is no.”
Amid mounting pressure from President Trump, this proposed rule would establish procedures for handling mail-in voting in federal elections. It includes a requirement for states to inform the Postal Service about individuals mailing absentee ballots, along with unique barcodes linked to those ballots. The aim here is to ensure that voters’ names and associated barcodes are accurately recorded in mail-in and absentee participation lists.
The proposal also notes that states can modify their registrants’ lists until the deadline for mailing ballots as dictated by state laws. Consequently, the Postal Service would compile a final participation list for each state’s election officials, detailing registered individuals and their linked mail-in ballots.
Peters expressed concerns about the federal government’s involvement, stating, “This administration’s efforts to nationalize elections and force the federal government to have this information sets a very dangerous precedent.” He emphasized the need to maintain the integrity of voting rolls and to keep elections within the jurisdiction of state and local governments.
White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson weighed in, asserting that President Trump is dedicated to ensuring public confidence in election procedures. She noted that existing laws empower the Department of Justice to compel states to adhere to federal election regulations for maintaining accurate electorates. Jackson also highlighted the President’s call for Congress to support the SAVE America Act, which aims to create uniform voting standards, prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting, and eliminate certain ballot collection methods.
