The US Postal Service (USPS) prepared to publish a final rule on Friday, 21 August 2026, which would introduce new requirements for states regarding mail-in voting. These changes would mandate states to provide the federal government with voter information ahead of the November midterm congressional elections.
The USPS acknowledged in the text of the final rule, posted online Friday and scheduled for publication in the Federal Register next week, that two injunctions from federal courts in California and Massachusetts currently prevent the changes from being implemented. The rule is intended to comply with an executive order signed by Donald Trump in March.
Under the proposed rule, states would need to give the US Department of Homeland Security and other agencies access to voter lists and adopt new balloting procedures. If states do not comply, the USPS would refuse to deliver ballots. The federal government has reportedly sued 30 states and Washington DC for not handing over lists of eligible voters.
The USPS stated that it is ready to implement the new restrictions on mail-in voting if the court injunctions are lifted. The rule indicates that if timely relief from the injunctions is obtained, implementation would provide election officials with as much time as possible before the next election to comply with preparation standards and data submission to the Federal Ballot Mail Portal.