The U.S. Postal Service has proposed a rule that would prevent it from mailing election ballots to states that refuse to provide the federal government with their absentee voter lists. This development was revealed during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing.
Under the proposed rule, the USPS would not mail election ballots to a state that declines to furnish the federal government with its absentee voter list. This was confirmed by U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner in response to a question from Senator Gary Peters.
The proposed rule aims to create a process for verifying the mailing of election ballots. States would notify the USPS of the individuals to whom they are mailing ballots, along with a unique barcode applied to the ballot envelope.
The USPS would then compile a list of enrolled individuals in each state, along with their associated barcodes. This list would be provided to each state's chief election official.
Senator Peters expressed concerns about the proposal, stating that it sets a "dangerous precedent" for federal involvement in elections. He emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of voting rolls and maintaining the separation of elections from federal government.
The proposal has sparked debate about the role of the federal government in elections and the relationship between states and the USPS. The issue remains a contentious topic in the discussion around election administration.
