Overview
- The Postal Service posted a 95-page final rule on Aug. 21 that would force states to supply names and unique barcodes for mailed ballots and allow USPS to refuse delivery from states that do not comply.
- USPS said it posted the rule so it could take immediate effect if courts lift injunctions, but the agency will not implement the changes while Judge Indira Talwani and other courts block enforcement.
- Postmaster General David Steiner has defended the plan as a way to match state mailings to what USPS actually delivers, and the rule says USPS will not open sealed ballots or record party affiliation.
- The Justice Department has filed emergency appeals seeking higher‑court relief, creating an expedited legal fight that could reach the Supreme Court and decide whether the rule applies for the 2026 midterms.
- Critics including many Democratic states and voting‑rights groups say USPS lacks authority and that last‑minute technical mandates could force ballot reprints, retraining and delivery delays that risk disenfranchising elderly and overseas voters.