Overview
- The Postal Service posted a 95-page final rule late Friday that would require states to submit voter names, addresses and uniquely serialized Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMb) before USPS accepts and delivers federal mail‑in ballots.
- Two federal injunctions, including a nationwide order from Judge Indira Talwani, currently block the rule from being applied to the 2026 midterm elections and plaintiffs have moved to enforce those injunctions in court.
- Under the rule USPS would retain exterior envelope data such as addresses and barcodes but says it will not inspect ballot contents or record voter party affiliation and will not implement the rule unless courts lift the blocks.
- The rule tracks President Trump’s March executive order and aims to give USPS tracking visibility and evidence for law enforcement, while states and voting‑rights groups say it would federalize state election procedures and could force costly envelope redesigns and retraining.
- If the injunctions are lifted the change could immediately alter how ballots are mailed and counted, risking confusion for election officials and voters and prompting fast legal and logistical shifts that could affect ballot delivery and voter access.