The U.S. Postal Service is under fire for delays in delivering mail ballots, sparking concerns about the upcoming midterm elections. With President Donald Trump seeking greater control over mail balloting through an executive order, the Postal Service is emerging as a pivotal player in the election season.
Trump’s Order and Mail Ballot Delays
Trump’s executive order aims to create a national voter list to guide the Postal Service in deciding who gets a mail ballot. However, the order has sparked multiple lawsuits and federal court orders, leading to a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Postal Service has proposed a rule in line with Trump’s executive order, which would create a national list of eligible voters based on databases kept by other federal agencies.
Democratic officials have raised concerns over the past week about how quickly the Postal Service will process ballots after tens of thousands of them in California and hundreds in Wisconsin arrived at local election offices too late to be counted in elections earlier this year. The top election offices in Kansas and Michigan are urging voters who want to cast their ballots early to avoid the mail and instead drop them off in person.
Response from the Postal Service
The Postal Service replied to these concerns by saying it remains “committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process.” The agency provides a secure, efficient, and effective way for citizens to participate when policymakers decide to use mail as part of their elections. The Postal Service has also proposed a rule in line with Trump’s executive order, which would create a national list of eligible voters based on databases kept by other federal agencies.
Despite Trump’s attacks on mail balloting, the method remains popular with voters of both major parties. In 2024, nearly 30% of U.S. voters cast their ballots by mail, according to federal data. In Michigan, where competitive U.S. House and Senate races could help determine the balance of power in Congress, the state said it has sent out more than 2 million absentee ballots for the state’s Aug. 4 primary.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
