Postal Service Proposes Rules to Implement Trump Voting Restrictions
New Postal Service regulations would require states to submit voter lists before mailing ballots, implementing Trump’s controversial voting restrictions.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The U.S. Postal Service on Friday proposed new regulations requiring states to submit voter lists before mailing ballots, marking a significant step for President Donald Trump’s executive order on voting by mail.
The proposed rule aims to establish uniform standards for mailing absentee ballots to and from voters, as detailed in a document on the Federal Register website. Trump’s March 31 executive order is currently facing several lawsuits from state officials who claim it infringes on their constitutional authority to manage elections.
“The proposed rule would apply uniform standards for the mailing of absentee ballots to and from voters, which the Postal Service understands will facilitate the faithful execution of federal law,” the Postal Service stated in its filing.
Modifications to Original Order
While fulfilling Trump’s directive to block states from sending ballots except to voters on federally-provided lists, the proposed rule includes exemptions not present in the original executive order. Military and overseas voters would be exempt from the new requirements, representing a significant concession in the implementation process.
The rule would prevent states from allowing residents to vote by mail unless they provide voter names to the federal government. Democratic state officials have criticized the order as an unconstitutional intrusion into state election administration.
Legal Challenges Continue
A federal judge on Thursday declined to block the executive order after determining the federal government had taken minimal steps to implement it. However, Friday’s proposed rule indicates that enforcement mechanisms are beginning to take shape ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Election law experts have warned that Trump’s attempt to assert control over the Postal Service threatens the agency’s long-standing record of independence. The proposed rule now enters a public comment period before potential final implementation.
This development adds urgency to existing legal challenges as states prepare for the upcoming midterm elections. The rule would change how mail-in voting operates across the United States, potentially affecting millions of voters who rely on absentee ballots.
