USPS works to comply with Trump’s executive order

(AP) – The Trump administration is defending new safeguards for mail-in voting, saying the measures are designed to protect election integrity and ensure that ballots are sent only to eligible voters.

The U.S. Postal Service is preparing a computer portal that would allow states to submit lists of verified voters who have requested mail ballots. The system is part of President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to develop citizenship records and requiring additional procedures for mailed ballots, including approved envelope designs and bar codes.

The White House has described the changes as commonsense steps to prevent fraud and improve confidence in the voting process. Administration officials argue that stronger verification is especially important as states prepare for the midterm elections, when millions of Americans are expected to vote by mail.

The rollout, however, has drawn criticism from Democrats and voting-rights groups. A whistleblower statement released by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal alleges that the Postal Service is building the system too quickly and without adequate testing.

Supporters of the administration’s approach say those procedures are intended to prevent duplicate, misdirected, or otherwise improper ballots from entering the mail stream. They also point out that states would have to receive approval for their envelope designs and submit verified voter lists before using the system.

The legal battle remains unresolved. A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked implementation before the midterm elections, while the administration appealed. The Supreme Court later allowed some work to continue, although the lower court has since issued another temporary restraining order. The judge has said the Postal Service may continue developing the portal, provided states are not required to use it.

The administration has maintained that the executive order does not eliminate mail voting, but establishes uniform safeguards for its use. Democrats argue that the rules could make voting more difficult, particularly for older Americans, military personnel, voters with disabilities, and people who depend on mailed ballots because of work or transportation challenges.

More than 29 percent of voters cast ballots by mail in 2024. The method was once used at similar rates by Republicans and Democrats, but it has become more common among Democratic voters since President Trump began criticizing it after the 2020 election.

The courts are expected to determine whether the administration’s new requirements can legally take effect before the midterm elections.

PHOTO- FILE – Delivery vans are parked during a protest staged as part of a countrywide National Day of Action Tuesday, July 28, 2026, outside the main United States Postal Service headquarters in northeast Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)