USPS unveils new mail-in voting rules despite court blocking Trump order

The U.S. Postal Service has introduced new rules tightening mail-in voting requirements, aligning with President Trump's executive order that was blocked by a court, despite a federal judge having overturned the original directive weeks earlier.

USPS published a 95-page final rule on Friday, scheduled for official release in the Federal Register on August 26. The document outlines how the agency plans to distribute mail-in ballots for the November midterm elections. However, the plan remains on hold due to ongoing litigation over Trump's executive order.

The rules closely follow the blocked directive. They require states to provide voter lists with citizenship data at least 60 days before the November 3 election, and USPS will only send ballots to residents after receiving those lists.

In June, Postmaster General David Steiner told senators the policy would ensure "the right ballot gets to the right person."

Court ruling complicates rollout

In August, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani halted the nationwide implementation of the executive order, warning that it would create "chaos" and "confusion" so close to the election. The Trump administration has appealed to the Supreme Court to reinstate the restrictions, continuing a string of legal setbacks for the president's election agenda.

According to a June report from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, nearly one-third of ballots in 2024 were cast by mail.

Trump has repeatedly questioned the integrity of mail-in voting and has not ruled out declaring a national emergency while the SAVE Act remains stalled in the Senate.