The US Postal Service’s proposed mail ballot policy has ignited a fresh political and legal battle ahead of the November 2026 general election. Postmaster General David Steiner told lawmakers that, under a proposed regulation, the USPS would no longer deliver mail ballots to states that refuse to provide voter eligibility data requested by the federal government.
The federal government’s alleged intention to overreach its jurisdiction has alarmed critics. A few judges have concurred. A group of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit, and a federal judge on Thursday prevented the scheme from proceeding.
The postmaster general’s remarks raise a “credibility issue,” according to League of Women Voters CEO Celina Stewart.
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What did David Steiner say about mail-in voting?
Appearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Steiner was asked whether the Postal Service would continue delivering mail ballots to states that refused to comply with the proposed voter data requirement.
Steiner defended the proposal by saying it would help ensure “the right ballots are going to the right people.” He argued that states should want accurate voter information so ballots are delivered only to eligible voters.
“I would think that states would want the information to ensure that the ballots that they think they’re sending out are the ballots that are actually getting sent out,” Stiener said.
At the same hearing, however, Steiner acknowledged that the Postal Service does not administer elections and said USPS would comply with any court orders regarding the proposal.
Stewart said, “The comments that he made are particularly concerning because voting is a right, and now it’s being presented as like this risk profile, and when access to the ballot starts being treated as suspicious behavior, which I think is the underlying thing here, democracy itself starts to be audited, I think, which is really problematic.”
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What is the mail ballot policy?
The proposed rule stems from President Donald Trump’s March executive order directing the Postal Service to require states to submit voter eligibility lists at least 60 days before federal elections. The administration argues the measure would help ensure that mail ballots reach only eligible voters.
A federal judge on Thursday temporarily halted the proposed rule after nearly two dozen Democratic-led states challenged Trump’s executive order in court.
Judge Indira Talwani ruled that portions of the order likely violated the constitutional separation of powers by attempting to shift election authority away from the states.
The White House defended the executive order, saying accurate voter rolls are essential to election integrity.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, “President Trump is committed to ensuring that Americans have full confidence in the administration of elections, and that includes totally accurate and up-to-date voter rolls free of errors and unlawfully registered non-citizen voters.”
