WASHINGTON, Aug 21 (Reuters) – On Friday, the U.S. Postal Service released a final rule aimed at strengthening mail-in voting regulations ahead of the November congressional elections, despite a court order preventing the changes from being enforced.
The USPS announced that it had issued the 95-page rule to allow for its immediate implementation if a court lifts the injunction, ensuring readiness for the upcoming election. According to the rule, ballots will not be delivered in states failing to meet the new standards.
The final rule mandates that states must provide the USPS with lists of voters who have received mailed ballots.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston halted the USPS from implementing these rules, which were ordered by President Donald Trump in advance of the November elections determining congressional control.
Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order in March after advocating for stricter mail-in voting regulations and promoting the unfounded claim that his 2020 election loss resulted from significant voter fraud.
The rule, which appeared online late Friday, is set for formal publication on August 26. However, USPS will refrain from implementing the order until a court removes the injunction. The USPS refused to comment, citing ongoing litigation, and the White House did not immediately respond.
Marc Elias, a Democratic election lawyer and critic of Trump, accused the USPS of yielding to Trump by criticizing the regulation and its legal justification.
If enacted, the rule specifies that USPS will not collect or record party affiliations, inspect ballot contents, or authorize postal workers to open sealed mail. The USPS will track data from the envelope’s exterior, such as address and barcode details.
USPS Postmaster General David Steiner defended the plan in June, stating that the Postal Service aims to ensure “we match the ballots that a state believes they’re sending out to what actually gets sent out.”
Many states and congressional Democrats have argued that the USPS lacks the authority to implement such significant election rule changes so close to the election.
The rule introduced on Friday requires states to submit to the USPS the names and barcodes associated with their mail-in ballots for federal elections, along with unique barcodes on the outbound and return ballot mail envelopes.
The USPS has previously stated that this measure “will help determine adherence to federal law and facilitate law enforcement efforts.”
