The U.S. Election System Is Changing: Here Are the New Regulations!

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has issued new rules governing the mailing and receipt of ballot papers sent by post in federal elections. Under the regulation, states will be required to forward the names and addresses of voters who cast their ballots by mail to the USPS.

Under the new system, state election officials will report voter information to the agency via an online portal that will be created. A separate 'Smart Mail' barcode will be assigned to each ballot envelope, both those sent to voters and those returned by voters, allowing the movement of envelopes within the postal system to be tracked.

Before accepting shipments, USPS will examine whether the envelopes meet the specified standards and whether the ballots have been sent to voters registered in the system. Shipments that do not comply with the rules will be returned to the authorized election authority for necessary corrections.

The regulation also requires that ballot envelopes used in federal elections bear the official 'Election Mail' logo, be compatible with automatic mail‑processing equipment, and contain a unique barcode on each.

The agency emphasized that postal workers will not have the authority to open sealed envelopes. Voters' party preferences and the contents of the ballot papers will also not be examined or recorded by USPS. Only information such as the address and barcode obtained from the envelope’s exterior will be retained.

The notification period has been reduced to 30 days.

The new rules are based on President Donald Trump's executive order signed on March 31, which calls for the development of standards for mail‑in voting in federal elections.

The initial draft required states to notify the USPS at least 90 days before an election that they planned to allow mail‑in voting. In the final text, that notification was made optional.

States are required to upload voter data to the system at least 30 days before a federal election, or by the date ballots may be mailed under state law, whichever comes first. Later additions and changes to voter rolls will also be permitted.

Court rulings halted implementation.

While the regulation was scheduled to be officially published on August 26, court rulings are currently blocking the new rules from being applied in the November 3 midterm elections. Judge Indira Talwani’s two separate orders first suspended the provisions in 23 states and the District of Columbia, and then nationwide. USPS said it had released the regulation to give election officials time to adjust in case of a judicial change. The agency argues that the new system aims to transport ballots more securely and efficiently.