USPS Finalizes Rule Requiring States to Hand Over Mail-In Voter Lists—or Risk Ballots Going Undelivered

The U.S. Postal Service published its final rule Friday requiring states that use the agency to transmit mail-in or absentee ballots in federal elections to submit lists of those voters or face non-delivery of the ballots.

The rule implements President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order on election integrity. States must notify the Postal Service at least 90 days before an election if they intend to use it for mail ballots and provide a list of eligible voters at least 60 days in advance. The list must include each voter’s name and address along with a uniquely serialized Intelligent Mail barcode on both the outbound ballot envelope and the return envelope. Postmaster General David Steiner has described the purpose as ensuring the agency can match the ballots a state believes it is sending with those that are actually mailed.

If a state does not comply, the Postal Service will not deliver the ballots. The rule is designed to take effect for the November midterm elections, but it remains blocked by a federal injunction. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, issued and later renewed a preliminary injunction in cases brought by Democratic-led states and voting-rights groups, ruling that portions of the executive order exceeded presidential authority over state-administered elections.

USPS published the final rule anyway, stating that doing so would allow it to take effect immediately if a court lifts the block and give election officials as much time as possible to comply before November 3. The agency has said it will take no implementation steps for the 2026 election unless and until the injunctions are lifted.

The administration has framed the requirement as a straightforward chain-of-custody and verification measure for mail ballots, arguing that matching intended recipients with actual mailings improves transparency. Opponents contend it represents an unconstitutional federal intrusion into state election administration. The legal fight continues as both sides prepare for the midterms.