The U.S. Postal Service has finalized a new rule that sets national standards for federal mail ballots and requires states to upload basic voter lists to a federal portal before those ballots are accepted for mailing. But the agency says it will not put the rule into practice for the 2026 elections unless courts lift existing injunctions, according to Spectrum News NY1 and Roll Call. The move comes as the Supreme Court recently eased the path for the administration’s broader mail‑voting order while leaving key legal questions unresolved, CBS News and The Washington Post reported.
What’s in the rule: States would have to redesign ballot envelopes for federal elections with unique barcodes, official logos and automation‑friendly formatting. Election officials would also submit the names and addresses of voters slated to receive federal mail ballots through a new USPS “Federal Ballot Mail Portal.” The agency said the portal would exclude “other voter information,” such as birthdates or Social Security numbers, NY1 reported. Separately, CBS News noted the rule says USPS would generate participation lists for state officials to help track who was mailed a ballot and that USPS would not determine eligibility or count votes.
The Associated Press and the Washington Post reported the final rule would bar USPS from delivering federal mail ballots from any state that does not follow the new standards. USPS declined to comment on the rule because of ongoing litigation, AP noted. The Postal Service said the rule was posted recently and is slated for formal publication soon, according to the Post and CBS News.
How we got here: The rule implements parts of an earlier executive order that seeks to confine federal mail ballots to voters on lists compiled by federal agencies and to standardize ballot mail nationwide. A coalition of states and the District of Columbia sued, and a federal judge in Massachusetts previously blocked portions of the order from applying to the upcoming federal elections. Recently, the Supreme Court allowed the administration to move forward on a narrow, procedural basis, saying those states sued too soon. But Axios reported that a separate Massachusetts case brought by voting‑rights groups continues to block USPS from enforcing the mail‑ballot provisions, and NY1 and Roll Call report USPS has told the court it will not implement the new rule for 2026 unless injunctions are lifted.
Timing is tight even if the courts clear the way. AP reported that the first ballots to military and overseas voters in at least one state are due to go out soon, leaving little time for states to redesign envelopes, train staff and upload voter lists. A filing cited by Roll Call warned that unveiling the rule this close to voting could create confusion among election officials and the public.
Why it matters
Mail voting is how millions of Americans cast ballots. The Postal Service’s rule could change which envelopes states use, what data they send to Washington and how quickly ballots move through the mail. With the midterms weeks away and court orders still in flux, voters and local officials may face shifting rules on short notice—affecting how fast ballots are mailed, received and counted.