In a national update that underscores the Postal Service’s commitment to its core mission, Postmaster General David Steiner announced Thursday that the agency has ceased work on the computer system that would have supported President Donald Trump’s effort to limit mail voting. Steiner said an injunction from the Supreme Court prevents any further development.
Legal block stops the project
“There’s an injunction so we’re not doing anything,” Steiner told the Associated Press. The injunction follows the Supreme Court’s recent decision rejecting President Trump’s executive order that directed federal agencies to create state citizenship lists and an online portal for processing mail ballots.
Steiner stresses operational focus
Steiner, a former chief executive of Waste Management, declined to comment on the policy merits, emphasizing that the Postal Service is an “independent agency of the executive branch” whose role is limited to execution, not rule‑making. “I don’t get to decide what rules are put on us that I decide to accept or not accept,” he said. “I looked at it more from the execution side.”
Historical context and agency independence
The Postal Service has a history of asserting independence, including during a 2019 standoff when the first Trump administration pressed the agency over a dispute with Amazon. Steiner noted he would not revisit those details, but he reaffirmed that the agency’s primary responsibility remains delivering mail safely and securely for voters and election officials.
Whistleblower concerns and internal confidence
A whistleblower report released earlier this month by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D‑Conn., warned that the proposed system was built hastily and riddled with errors. Steiner said he had read portions of the report and recognized the challenges of building such a massive platform quickly. Nevertheless, he expressed pride in the IT department’s speed, stating, “There’s absolutely no doubt that we worked fast… I’m very proud of our IT department for being able to do it that fast.”
Future of mail processing and voter guidance
While the Trump‑ordered system will not move forward, the Postal Service continues to encourage the use of standardized envelopes and barcodes in future elections—a practice it has long recommended. Steiner explained that ballots using the barcode will be processed at a lower cost, while those without may incur higher fees due to increased handling complexity.
“If you use the barcode in the envelope, we’ll charge you a lower price,” he said. “If you don’t, we’re going to charge you a higher price because it’s harder for us to process.”
Election mail remains business as usual
A memo obtained by the Associated Press confirms that the Postal Service will not enforce any of the new rules for the 2026 federal election. “First and foremost, for Election Mail it is business as usual,” the memo reads. “We continue to follow established protocols, and we remain entirely focused on our core mission: delivering the mail safely and securely for voters and election officials across the country.”
Steiner also urged voters to mail their ballots early, noting that the agency has no plans to change existing postmark deadlines. “We say seven days,” he said. “Everything is solved if people vote early.”
Looking ahead
Justice Brett Kavanaugh hinted that the Court might revisit the issue in the future, but for now the Postal Service will concentrate on its essential services rather than becoming an arbiter of voter eligibility. The agency’s stance reflects a broader effort by the Trump administration to streamline election processes while respecting constitutional protections and the role of families in civic participation.
Original reporting: Richardson, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
