The U.S. Postal Service has proposed rules that would require states to provide the names of eligible voters in order for mail-in ballots to be processed.
The proposal follows President Donald Trump’s March 2026 executive order pressing states to share voter lists with the federal government. Several Democratic-led states and civil rights organizations have opposed the move.
The Trump administration says the rule would help ensure fair and secure elections. Civil rights groups, including the NAACP, argue it could disenfranchise voters.
Trump has long criticized mail-in voting, particularly after his 2020 election loss. Many states expanded mail-in voting that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to a record turnout. President Joe Biden captured multiple battleground states, winning overwhelmingly among mail-in voters.
RELATED STORY | Trump signs order to tighten rules around mail-in voting, setting up likely legal challenges
In the years since, Trump has repeatedly claimed—without evidence—that mail-in voting led to a rigged election, a charge widely rejected by election officials from both parties.
Jonathan Smith, president of the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, said the rules conflict with the agency’s mission.
“Our public Postal Service does not block mailers from sending letters or refuse to deliver letters because of those who mailed them,” Smith said. “Postal workers take the sanctity of the mail seriously, and every process and policy of the Postal Service ensures that mail is accepted, processed and delivered—no matter who sent it or where it is going.”
The administration is pushing to finalize the rule before this year’s midterm elections, but ongoing lawsuits could delay implementation until after 2026.
RELATED STORY | 'Because I'm president': Trump defends casting mail‑in ballot ahead of election
