Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced on X that he is filing a lawsuit alongside attorneys general from 23 states and the District of Columbia to block a newly issued United States Postal Service (USPS) rule backed by President Trump. The rule, titled “Ballot Mail for Federal Elections,” imposes fresh federal requirements on how states prepare and send mail‑in ballots.
State officials claim the rule oversteps federal authority
In a 53‑page complaint, the coalition argues that the rule improperly gives USPS a role in running elections, forcing officials to submit recipient information to a federal portal, adopt new ballot‑envelope designs, and obtain pre‑approval for those designs. They contend that the Constitution reserves the authority to set election rules to the states, not the federal government.
“I’m suing the Trump administration to stop their unconstitutional attempt to change the rules and restrict mail‑in voting,” Shapiro wrote. “The Constitution is clear: the authority to set election rules belongs to the states — not the federal government.”
Supreme Court decision fuels the legal challenge
The lawsuit follows a recent Supreme Court decision that stayed an earlier injunction against parts of the Trump‑backed executive order. The Court said the order was premature because USPS had not yet issued a final rule. After the Court’s stay, USPS published the final rule, prompting the states to renew their challenge.
White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis praised the Supreme Court’s ruling as a “major win for the security of American elections,” adding that the Trump administration will continue to enact the agenda President Trump was elected on, including measures to protect election safety.
What the rule would require
The new USPS rule would require state and local election officials to upload information about intended mail‑in ballot recipients to a USPS portal, where the agency would compile state‑specific voter lists. It also mandates trackable barcodes on ballots and pre‑approval of ballot‑envelope designs.
States argue that Congress, not the president or USPS, has the authority to alter election rules and that the Postal Service skipped required review processes for nationwide changes.
Next steps in the litigation
The coalition is asking the court to block the rule while the lawsuit proceeds and ultimately to invalidate it. They assert that the Supreme Court’s timing concern has been addressed because USPS has now issued the final rule.
The USPS did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
