IMPORTANT! Post Office proposed rule changes for mail-in ballots gives the PO authority to withhold mail-in ballots.

The US Post Office has proposed rule changes for mail-in ballots that add additional steps to mail-in ballot processing and gives the PO authority to withhold ballots. If you would like to weigh in on this important issue regarding our elections, comments must be submitted by July 2, 2026.

The text of the proposed rule is summarized and extracted below, along with instructions on how to send in comments.   

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/02/2026-10968/ballot-mail-for-federal-elections

AGENCY: Postal Service
SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), regarding the transmission of mail-in or absentee ballots for federal elections pursuant to its rulemaking authority.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 2, 2026.

TO COMMENT:

Mail or deliver written comments to 

Director

Product Classification

U.S. Postal Service

475 L’Enfant Plaza SW

Room 4446

Washington, DC 20260-5015

Email comments, containing the name and address of the commenter, may be sent to:

PCFederalRegister@usps.gov, with a subject line of “Ballot Mail.” 

Faxed comments will not be accepted.  

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale Kennedy, (202) 268-6592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (summary)

All submitted comments and attachments are part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your comments that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.

The Postal Service is proposing to amend the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) regarding the transmission of mail-in or absentee ballots for federal elections through the mail, pursuant to its authority under 39 U.S.C. 401 and 404, and consistent with Section 3 of Executive Order 14399Executive Order 14399, Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections.

Background

On March 31, 2026, the President issued Executive Order 14399, Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,91 FR 17125 (2026) (“Order”). The Executive Order discusses the importance of additional measures concerning the use of the mails to vote in federal elections, in order to facilitate enforcement of federal law, reduce the risk of fraud, and help protect the integrity of federal elections. Following the issuance of the Order, the Postal Service submitted this proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for interagency review. Subsequent to that review process, the Postal Service issues this proposed rule regarding the preparation of ballot mail for federal elections to facilitate the enforcement of federal law. The proposed rule would also implement best practices for Postal Service operations regarding ballot mail.

Proposed Rule (summarized)

The Postal Service is proposing to add a section to DMM 705, Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems, that contains the following preparation conditions when mailing ballots for general, special, or run-off federal elections, except that these conditions do not apply to ballots covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.):

Envelope Design and Review Standards

• DMM 705.24.3 would identify new standards for the envelope design and review for outbound and return ballot envelopes, which are consistent with the Postal Service’s existing recommended best practices. These standards include the use of the official Election Mail logo, automation compatibility, placement of a uniquely serialized Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) on each outbound and return ballot envelope, and a mailpiece design review.

Pre-Election Notification of Intent To Use Postal System for Ballot Delivery

• DMM 705.24.2 would provide for an optional pre-mailing notice that states may provide to the Postal Service, and facilitate the process for states to enroll individuals with the Postal Service for inclusion on state-specific lists for mail-in and absentee ballot participation.

This provision would allow states to notify the Postal Service of their intent to use the mail to facilitate their election processes. By disclosing relevant points of contact, it will allow the Postal Service to more expeditiously provide technical and other assistance in advance of the election. It will also facilitate the adoption of the new elements of ballot mailing that are proposed in this regulation.

Mail-In and Absentee Participation List

• DMM 705.24.4 would establish a process by which (1) states (including authorized election officials and their mail service providers) will notify the Postal Service of the individuals to whom they are mailing a mail-in or absentee ballot, along with the unique barcode applied to the outbound and return ballot mail envelope for such individuals such that the name and barcode of the voter will be included on a Mail-In and Absentee Participation List; (2) states (including authorized election officials and their mail service providers) may thereafter add to or modify the list of enrollees until the last day that ballots may be mailed out to individuals under state law; and (3) the Postal Service will provide to each state’s chief election official a final State-Specific Mail-In and Absentee Participation List for each state compiling the names of all enrolled individuals in such state, along with the barcodes associated with such individuals’ mail-in or absentee ballots.

Ensuring Compliance With New Standards

• DMM 705.24.5 would establish a verification standard to support transmission of compliant mail-in or absentee ballots.

The Postal Service is not proposing to apply these standards to primary elections or to [Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act] UOCAVA ballots.

As required under existing postal regulations, mailers must comply with all applicable postal laws and regulations governing mailability and preparation for mailing, as well as nonpostal laws and regulations on the possession, treatment, transmission, or transfer of particular matter. Coinciding with publication of any final rule, to facilitate compliance by officials mailing ballots to voters, the Postal Service intends to provide further technical instructions regarding barcode creation, service type identifiers, acceptance processes, file preparation, documentation submission, and entry of data into the proposed portal.

The Postal Service will also take steps necessary for the creation of a new system of records notice (“SORN”) in accordance with the Privacy Act. Notice regarding the new SORN is forthcoming.

Election Mail Practices

The Postal Service will continue to engage with state and local election officials to advise on mailing conditions and best practices. The Postal Service will also continue to offer technical support to election officials and their mail service providers.

Additional information about the Postal Service’s Election Mail practices and procedures, as well as other resources, are available at https://about.usps.com/what/government-services/election-mail/.

Request for Comments

Consistent with the Order, the Postal Service is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking and invites comments on any and all provisions of the proposed DMM addition. During the comment period, the Postal Service plans to work with stakeholder groups to discuss the proposed rule and its implementation.

Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c)) regarding proposed rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the Postal Service invites public comment on the proposed revisions to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations.

We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.

PART 111—[AMENDED]  (summarized and extracts)24.4 State-Specific Mail-In and Absentee Participation Lists  

24.4.2 Enrollment

a. Any state that intends to receive mail-in or absentee ballots from individual voters through the Postal Service must ensure that such individuals have been enrolled with the Postal Service for inclusion on the state’s Mail-In and Absentee Participation List.

b. In order for an individual to be enrolled with the Postal Service for inclusion on a state’s Mail-In and Absentee Participation List, a Ballot Portal User in that state must provide the following information through the Postal Service Federal Ballot Mail Portal:

1. Name of individual receiving a mail-in or absentee ballot;

2. Address of individual receiving a mail-in or absentee ballot;

3. Unique IMb on the Outbound Federal Ballot Mail envelope sent to the individual;

4. Unique IMb on the Return Federal Ballot Mail envelope sent to the individual; and

5. Originating election office state.

c. An individual will be deemed enrolled with the Postal Service for inclusion on a state’s Mail-In and Absentee Participation List as of the date that the information in 24.4.2.b is provided.

d. Ballot Portal Users must provide the information in 24.4.2.b at least 30 days before the date of the federal election, to the extent practicable, or by the date on which mail-in or absentee ballots may begin to be mailed under state law. Ballot Portal Users may make supplemental submissions to enroll additional individuals or modify prior submissions until the last day that ballots may be mailed out to individuals under state law. A separate submission is required in connection with each Outbound Federal Ballot mailing, regardless of the number of mailpieces in the mailing.

e. The information provided in 24.4.2.b must meet the Postal Service’s technical specifications for the Federal Ballot Mail Portal.

f. Ballot Portal Users must certify to the Postal Service that any mail-in or absentee ballots their state’s authorized ballot mailers provide to the Postal Service for mailing meet the standards in 24.3.1 and 24.3.2.

24.4.3 Provision of State-Specific Lists

On or about the date of the federal election, the Postal Service will provide a state-specific Mail-In and Absentee Participant List to each state’s chief election official that contains the name and address of each individual in that state who was enrolled through the process set forth in 24.4.2, along with the unique IMb associated with the Outbound and Return Federal Ballot Mail sent to each such individual.

24.5 Outbound Federal Ballot Mail Verification  

24.5.1 Procedure

Using the information provided in 24.4.2, the Postal Service will review mailings identified as Outbound Federal Ballot Mail prior to acceptance to evaluate whether the mailing meets the standards in 24.3.1 and is being sent to individuals who have been enrolled with the Postal Service for inclusion on the state’s Mail-In and Absentee Participation List, consistent with the technical specifications for the Federal Ballot Mail Portal.

24.5.2 Authorized Verification

Mailings identified as Outbound Federal Ballot Mail are verified by Postal Service employees when presented for acceptance. Consistent with existing Postal regulations regarding commercial postage categories, mailings of Outbound Federal Ballot Mail with 200 or more pieces of Marketing Mail or 500 or more pieces of First-Class Mail must be entered at a facility that performs business mail acceptance functions. Mailings of Outbound Federal Ballot Mail that do not meet this volume threshold must be entered either at a facility that performs business mail acceptance functions or at a Postal Service retail counter. Postal Service personnel are not authorized to open mail sealed against inspection, except under circumstances described in ASM 274. The Postal Service’s acceptance of Outbound Federal Ballot Mail does not constitute verified compliance.

24.5.3 Noncompliance

a. Mailings that do not comply with 24.5.1 and 24.5.2 will not be accepted and will be returned to the authorized ballot mailer. The authorized ballot mailer or Ballot Portal User must address the error(s) before resubmitting the mailing.

b. Mailings from any authorized ballot mailer for any state that has not submitted a certification pursuant to 24.4.2.f will not be accepted and will be returned to the authorized ballot mailer.

c. An authorized ballot mailer may request further review by the Postal Service if Outbound Federal Ballot Mail is not accepted.

d. The Postal Service assumes no responsibility for any outbound ballot mailing presented until it is accepted into the mail. The Postal Service is not responsible for service delays when the Ballot Portal User or authorized ballot mailer does not meet the applicable preparation or entry standards.

e. Authorized ballot mailers must comply with all applicable postal laws and regulations governing mailability and preparation for mailing, as well as nonpostal laws and regulations on the possession, treatment, transmission, or transfer of particular matter.

24.6 Non-Interference With State or Federal Election Laws

This rule relates only to the use of the U.S. Mail. The Postal Service does not purport to alter the eligibility of any individual to vote under state or federal law. The Postal Service does not have any legal responsibility for management of state voter rolls or administration of federal elections within each state. States are fully responsible for the contents of each State’s Mail-In and Absentee Participation List.