US Postal Service says new mail ballot rules tied to Trump order are in effect

Key Points:

• The US Postal Service (USPS) announced new mail-in voting requirements are now in effect, following an executive order by President Trump aimed at restricting ballot delivery to voters deemed ineligible based on federal records.
• These new USPS rules require state election officials to submit voter rolls for federal inspection, increasing federal oversight of elections, and will apply immediately for the upcoming November midterm elections.
• The US Supreme Court allowed the USPS rule to be implemented by lifting a lower court injunction, but did not rule on the rule’s legality or constitutionality, while a district judge subsequently lifted a nationwide block on the policy.
• In response, two dozen states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit challenging the executive order, arguing it unlawfully attempts to override state and congressional authority over election laws.
• Critics contend the USPS policy is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to alter federal election law and infringe on state control of elections.