Cisco Aguilar and other election officials express concern over new USPS mail ballot rules
The U.S. Postal Service is developing a new system to implement President Trump's order to restrict mail-in voting. The administration announced that states must submit lists of verified voters to an online portal and ensure that ballot envelopes include unique barcodes for automated tracking. However, a whistleblower report alleges that the system was rushed and could lead to tens of thousands of ballots failing to reach voters if a single scanning error occurs in a batch. Cisco Aguilar, the Nevada Secretary of State, expressed concern that the federal government may be struggling to implement the database on time. He noted that the administration's plan could disenfranchise voters if the postal agency is not reliable. While the administration defended the rules as commonsense measures to protect security, many states are currently suing to block the requirements. A federal judge has temporarily halted the rules, but the administration has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. Election officials have warned that the practical hurdles, such as the cost of reprinting millions of envelopes and the thousands of hours of staff time required for training, may make full compliance difficult before the November midterms.
Sources
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Whistleblower's lawyer warns USPS plan for Trump's order could keep ballots from voters
NPR
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Election officials say they can’t comply with Trump’s proposed mail ballot rules
CNN
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Nevada elections chief blasts Trump admin as "careless" as it enacts new mail voting rules
The Nevada Independent