<p>A coalition of 24 states, led by Democrats, and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service on August 26, 2026, aiming to prevent new mail-in ballot safeguards from being implemented before the upcoming midterm elections.</p>
<p>The lawsuit, submitted in federal court in Massachusetts, claims that the new rule exceeds executive authority, conflicts with federal law, and infringes on states' constitutional rights to manage elections. The states expressed concerns that the expedited implementation of these changes could disrupt election preparations and potentially disenfranchise eligible voters.</p>
<p>California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, stated in the 53-page complaint that “the Rule violates the Constitution and federal statutes many times over,” accusing the Postal Service of undermining state election laws and ignoring procedural and privacy requirements.</p>
<p>The rule is part of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March, which the administration asserts will enhance election integrity by improving the tracking of mail-in ballots and aiding authorities in identifying suspicious activities.</p>
<p>Bonta commented, “This mail-in voting rule is an unlawful overreach that shows just how far President Trump will go to control elections,” and expressed confidence in the legal standing of the states' case.</p>
<p>The new rule mandates specific design features for ballot envelopes, such as trackable barcodes, and requires state election officials to submit the names and addresses of intended mail-in ballot recipients via an online portal to enhance election security.</p>
<p>The Postal Service indicated that this system aims to provide election officials and law enforcement with better visibility regarding ballot recipients and to identify any irregularities that may require further investigation.</p>
<p>However, the states argue that compliance with the rule would necessitate redesigning ballot envelopes, obtaining Postal Service approval, and rapidly developing systems for transmitting voter information, all of which would incur significant costs.</p>
<p>Twenty-four attorneys general from states including Arizona, California, Colorado, and others signed the complaint. Pennsylvania's participation was represented by Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro instead of its attorney general.</p>
<p>This legal challenge follows a recent Supreme Court decision that lifted a lower-court injunction blocking key provisions of Trump's executive order, based on procedural grounds, without addressing the legality of the Postal Service's implementation measures.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani lifted her remaining injunction against the executive order, allowing voting-rights groups to amend their complaint and seek a new order against the finalized Postal Service rule.</p>
<p>The states are now requesting expedited consideration of their lawsuit to block the enforcement of the new rule, while Democratic campaign committees and voting-rights organizations are pursuing separate legal challenges ahead of the elections.</p>