The U.S. Postal Service has recently proposed new rules for mailing absentee and mail-in ballots in federal elections, requiring states to provide voter eligibility lists and unique barcodes to ensure ballots are sent only to approved recipients.
The proposal, published in the Federal Register, follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump to strengthen election integrity. It would establish uniform national standards for ballot envelopes and create a “Mail-In and Absentee Participation List” managed in coordination with state election officials.
Details of the Proposed Rule
Under the plan, each state’s chief election official would submit to the Postal Service the names of voters eligible for mail-in ballots along with barcodes for both outbound and return envelopes. The Postal Service would then verify that a ballot is being mailed only to individuals on the state-provided list.
The rule notes that “states would retain full control over who would (or would not) be able to vote by mail-in federal elections within each state, as states would control enrollment with the Postal Service for inclusion on the state’s Mail-In and Absentee Participation List.”
The proposal also includes updated design standards for ballot envelopes to improve processing and delivery. Public comments on the rule are due within 30 days of its publication in the Federal Register.
Background and Context
The move comes after Trump’s March 31, 2026, executive order directing federal agencies to enhance citizenship verification and safeguards for mail-in voting. The Postal Service began developing the rule shortly after a federal judge declined to block the order immediately.
Postal Service officials have described the changes as an effort to apply consistent standards nationwide while respecting state authority over voter eligibility. Critics, including some election officials and advocacy groups, have raised concerns about potential implementation challenges and legal hurdles, according to the State Democracy Research Initiative.
The American Postal Workers Union expressed alarm over the proposal, stating it “rejects the premise” that the Postal Service needed to take such steps, per the Democracy Docket.
Next Steps
The rule remains in the proposal stage. If finalized, it would amend the Domestic Mail Manual.
The U.S. Postal Service, an independent federal agency, processes and delivers an average of more than 360 million pieces of mail daily and plays a key role in supporting state-run elections. No implementation timeline beyond the comment period was specified in the proposal.
