Postmaster General David Steiner says the U.S. Postal Service is prepared to handle millions of mail-in ballots, announcing expanded delivery operations and special processing procedures as the November 3 elections approach.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The U.S. Postal Service is preparing to activate special ballot delivery procedures nationwide as voters begin returning mail-in ballots for the November 3 midterm elections, with Postmaster General David Steiner assuring Americans that the agency can manage the expected surge in election-related mail.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, October 15, Steiner said postal employees are prepared to handle millions of ballots in congressional, state and local elections that will determine control of Congress and numerous other government offices.
“Everybody is engaged and absolutely ready for the next two weeks,” Steiner said, according to Reuters.
The agency plans to implement extraordinary measures beginning October 24, including expanded operating hours at selected postal facilities, additional ballot collections and expedited transportation to election offices.
The temporary procedures are intended to ensure completed ballots reach election officials before applicable state deadlines, particularly during the final days before Election Day.
Postal officials said the measures include special pickups, additional deliveries and procedures allowing ballots to bypass normal processing facilities when necessary.
Steiner explained that employees may arrange “local turnaround to bypass all processing when it’s absolutely necessary to get ballots on time.”
The Postal Service has also directed personnel to prioritize election-related mail and coordinate closely with state and local election administrators.
In guidance published October 14, USPS confirmed that employees received two memorandums covering election mail procedures and postmarking requirements.
The instructions address ballot handling throughout the election cycle and establish additional procedures for the period between October 24 and November 3.
Despite those preparations, postal officials continue urging voters to return their completed ballots early.
USPS recommends mailing ballots at least one week before the deadline established by local election authorities, allowing sufficient time for processing and transportation.
Deadlines vary among states. Some jurisdictions require ballots to arrive by Election Day, while others accept properly postmarked ballots received within a specified period afterward.
The agency emphasized that its responsibility is to transport election mail, while state and local officials establish voting eligibility rules, ballot requirements and counting procedures.
The upcoming election follows a major legal dispute over President Donald Trump’s attempt to impose additional restrictions on voting by mail.
In March, Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to tighten election-related procedures, including requirements involving mail ballots and voter information.
The Postal Service subsequently adopted regulations requiring states to provide lists of mail-ballot recipients and use approved envelopes containing unique identification barcodes.
Under the proposed system, election officials would have submitted voter information through a federal portal, allowing USPS to determine whether outgoing ballot mail complied with the new requirements.
Mailings that failed to meet those standards could have been rejected and returned to election officials for correction.
Supporters of the rule argued that additional tracking and verification procedures could strengthen election administration and reduce opportunities for improper ballot distribution.
Opponents, including Democratic-led states and voting rights organizations, argued that the requirements exceeded the Postal Service’s authority and risked disrupting legitimate voting shortly before a national election.
On September 14, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to allow the restrictions to take effect, leaving a lower court injunction in place.
The justices concluded that the government was unlikely to prevail in its challenge to the injunction and that allowing the new procedures so close to Election Day could create significant administrative problems.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing separately, acknowledged that the Postal Service might possess statutory authority to establish certain standards but concluded that implementing them before the 2026 elections would be unreasonable because state and local officials lacked sufficient preparation time.
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented.
Following the ruling, USPS confirmed it would not enforce the disputed requirements
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