Election officials in nearly half of U.S. states have raised concerns about the potential impact of the U.S. Postal Service’s new mail ballot rule on the upcoming midterm elections. In declarations submitted in a lawsuit aimed at halting the rule, officials indicated that its implementation could disrupt election plans and lead to voter disenfranchisement. The rule is said to come late in the election process, complicating deadlines for ballot distribution and conflicting with established state election laws.
Sarah Hanzas, Vermont's secretary of state, noted the urgency of the situation, stating, "It is currently less than a week from when we need to provide our mailing list to our print and mail vendor. My staff, the city and town clerks, and the vendor have not seen or been trained on the new USPS system. We are not alone in this lack of knowledge."
On August 31, 2026, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani temporarily blocked the executive order for 14 days, a decision that the Trump administration has appealed. North Carolina is expected to start sending out ballots soon, but Marc Brunton, an assistant deputy attorney general, expressed concerns about the new requirements, which include submitting envelope designs to the USPS and training election staff on the new system. He stated, "Given the very short time available and the untested technology that the Rule relies on, I have profound concerns that the Rule will prevent eligible voters from voting, including in the November 2026 general election."
States will need to upload the names and addresses of eligible voters along with a unique “Intelligent Mail” barcode to the USPS Ballot Portal. This new system requires training for election staff and prohibits bulk voter enrollment. Brunton highlighted the additional burden on election officials, stating, "If the system fails, North Carolina may be unable to mail ballots to voters at all."
Concerns about costs and logistical challenges have also been raised. In Hawaii, Chief Election Officer Scott Nago mentioned that the new rule would necessitate discarding previously ordered envelopes, incurring costs over $79,000. He stated, "It may not be possible to get new orders of size 10 envelopes delivered to Hawaii from the continent on such short notice."
Delays in election mail have been a recurring issue, and USPS has indicated it will not increase staffing to manage the new responsibilities. Mandy Vigil, New Mexico's state election director, noted that voter lists will continue to change leading up to Election Day, which could lead to confusion and disenfranchisement.
Mark Wlaschin, Nevada’s deputy secretary of state, pointed out that the USPS's data collection could deter voter participation due to concerns about law enforcement access to voter information. He stated, "The threat of disclosing such information to law enforcement officials itself could suppress voter participation."
Advocates are worried that the uncertainty surrounding the court decisions and the potential implementation of the rule could confuse vulnerable voters. Joanna Southard, assistant chief of California’s Elections Division, emphasized the importance of mail-in voting for rural and disabled voters, noting that 89% of the 9.4 million people who voted in California's primary this year did so by mail. She warned that the changes required could significantly impact eligible voters in the state.