Postmaster General David Steiner told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the U.S. Postal Service will refuse to deliver mail-in ballots in states that do not hand over their absentee voter lists to the federal government, under a proposed rule posted on the Federal Register.
Under questioning from Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the top Democrat on the committee, Steiner confirmed the rule’s practical effect. Peters asked: “Yes or no — if a state refuses to turn their absentee voter list over to the federal government, will the Postal Service still mail their ballots under this proposed rule?”
“Under our proposed regulation, no. We would tell the state that we need the manifest,” Steiner replied.
The proposed rule requires states to provide the Postal Service with the names, addresses and ballot barcode numbers for individuals who are to receive ballots by mail. Steiner argued the policy is intended to ensure ballots are delivered “securely, efficiently, and accurately.” The regulation implements President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order, which directed the federal government to compile state citizenship lists and ordered the Postal Service to refuse to mail ballots to individuals the federal government has deemed ineligible to vote.
The public may comment on the proposed rule through July 2.
Peters pushed back on Steiner’s explanation, arguing the Postal Service lacks the constitutional authority to enforce such a rule. “Just because President Trump wants to do this does not make it law, doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make it constitutional,” Peters said. “There is certainly a massive difference between general mail requirements and regulating elections.”
Steiner acknowledged that his agency does not have the authority to enforce elections directly but said the rule is a precaution to ensure only eligible voters receive ballots. “I would think that states would want the information to ensure that the ballots that they think they’re sending out are the ballots that are actually getting sent out,” Steiner said.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, also a Michigan Democrat, said the rule is part of a broader strategy by Trump to assert federal control over elections. “The U.S. Postal Service is now part of this bigger story of this president desperate to federalize our elections,” Slotkin said. “He has tried every which way to say that if he and his party don’t win in these November elections, they were rigged.”
Slotkin directly appealed to Steiner to resist the administration’s pressure. “Please push back on being a pawn in this authoritarian playbook,” she said. “The Postal Service is one of the most important institutions in our country. Don’t taint it with the obsession of this one man.”