Mail ballots start to go to voters as Trump injects uncertainty

Key Points:

• North Carolina began statewide mail voting for the 2024 midterm elections amid ongoing legal challenges to President Trump's executive order aimed at limiting mail balloting, with election officials assuring voters that mail voting remains secure and accessible.
• Trump’s executive order requires states to submit voter lists to the Postal Service via an online portal and mandates barcode inclusion on ballot envelopes, but implementation has been blocked by lawsuits and a preliminary injunction, with the administration appealing the decision.
• Election officials warn that confusion from legal battles has caused voter uncertainty, but they emphasize that mail voting is safe, and preparations, including ballot processing and testing, are underway to ensure smooth election administration.
• Postal Service operational changes, such as centralized postmarking at distant processing centers, have led to a spike in rejected mail ballots in several states, raising concerns about timely ballot delivery and prompting calls for voters to return ballots early.
• Other states will begin mailing ballots in September, with military and overseas ballots required to be sent by mid-month, while election experts and officials warn that implementing major election changes this late in the cycle risks causing disruption and voter disenfranchisement.