A U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction on Wednesday that prevents the United States Postal Service from implementing a recent executive order related to mail‑in ballots.
The order, issued by the president, required the Postal Service to transmit ballots for any state only after that state provided a list of voters who intended to use mail‑in voting, among other conditions. The judge halted the order nationwide, citing legal concerns.
The ruling referenced a settlement agreement reached in 2020 between the Postal Service and civil‑rights groups, which established court oversight of the agency’s handling of election‑related mail and required timely delivery.
Separately, the Postal Service is advancing a rulemaking process to establish uniform standards for mailing ballots in federal elections. The proposed rule calls for an official Election Mail logo on ballot envelopes, the use of Intelligent Mail barcodes to enable tracking, and a reconciliation system to match ballots sent with those returned.
The rulemaking is subject to a public comment period that runs until July 2, with submissions accepted from any U.S. resident regardless of state of residence. Commenters must provide their full name and mailing address, which will become part of the public record.
Stakeholders, including advocacy groups and election‑focused organizations, have already submitted comments, indicating a high level of engagement with the proposal. The Postal Service is required by law to review and consider all comments before finalizing the rule.
All submitted comments will be retained in the public docket, and the agency will not publish any personal information beyond the required name and address.
