Washington, D.C. — State election officials are warning that new federal requirements for mail ballots could be impossible to implement before the Nov. 3 election and may increase the risk that valid ballots are rejected.
President Donald Trump’s March executive order directed the U.S. Postal Service to impose new standards on mail ballot envelopes, including barcode requirements and the collection of voter information through a federal portal.
Election administrators say the timetable is one of the biggest problems. Washington state Elections Director Stuart Holmes estimated that replacing already-prepared ballot envelopes could cost nearly $2 million, while other jurisdictions face similar logistical and financial challenges just weeks before voting begins.
The warnings come amid separate concerns about the Postal Service’s new ballot verification system. A whistleblower disclosure released this week alleged the portal was developed in less than three months and insufficiently tested. The whistleblower said a single barcode-scanning error could cause thousands of ballots in a batch to be rejected.
The administration argues the changes are intended to strengthen oversight and election-mail security. Election officials and Democratic lawmakers counter that imposing new technical standards so close to Election Day could cause widespread disruption and disenfranchise eligible voters.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked implementation of portions of the rules. The Trump administration has asked the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift that order while litigation continues.
The current pause remains in place through Sept. 11 as courts consider whether the administration has authority to impose the requirements.
Sources
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