The US Postal Service implements new mail-in voting requirements to increase federal oversight as the administration seeks to restrict the practice.
The US Postal Service has officially implemented new requirements for mail-in voting, following an executive order from the administration to increase federal oversight of elections. The move aims to require state election leaders to submit voter rolls for inspection and use specifically designed envelopes with mandatory barcodes. While the administration argues that these changes are modest regulations of the ballot envelopes rather than the ballots themselves, critics argue the move usurps the authority of states and Congress. Two dozen states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits to block the order, claiming the executive branch lacks the independent authority to dictate the rules of mail voting. The US Supreme Court recently lifted a lower court's injunction, allowing the rule to proceed for the November midterm elections. However, the legal battle continues as plaintiffs seek to determine if the federal government's gatekeeping role is constitutional. The administration maintains that the rule improves operational efficiency, while opponents warn it could potentially shut off the mail ballot method for millions of voters if states do not comply with the federal standards.