Trump Wanted to Force Postal Workers to Conduct Identity Checks on Mail-in Voters
A ProPublica investigation reveals that the Trump administration initially sought to mandate that the U.S. Postal Service require Certified Mail delivery for ballots, effectively creating a national voter ID check. This plan was abandoned due to logistical impossibilities and cost, but the administration proceeded with other executive orders to federalize mail-in ballot processing. The Supreme Court recently struck down the primary executive order, though it allowed a separate measure permitting states to use federal databases to screen voter rolls.
- ▪The White House initially demanded that mail-in ballots be sent via Certified Mail, which would require postal workers to verify the identity of every recipient.
- ▪The Supreme Court invalidated Trump's March 2026 executive order that sought to give the Postal Service control over ballot envelope designs and delivery lists.
- ▪USPS officials reportedly refrained from directly opposing the administration's demands due to fears of being fired, instead waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on the matter.
- ▪The administration's plan included a provision requiring entire batches of ballots to be returned to local officials if even a single envelope contained an error.
- ▪SCOTUS allowed a separate provision enabling the Department of Homeland Security to assist states in using federal databases to identify alleged non-citizens on voter rolls.
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| Original publisher | Gizmodo |
| Canonical URL | https://gizmodo.com/trump-wanted-to-force-postal-workers-to-conduct-identity-checks-on-mail-in-voters-2000818575 |
| Publication time | Tue, 29 Sep 2026 03:58:38 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-29T03:59:40.676Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-29T03:59:40.676Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Plans for President Donald Trump’s administration to muscle more control of election procedures away from state governments via the U.S. Postal Service were even wilder than previously reported, according to a new investigation by ProPublica. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court threw out Trump’s March 2026 executive order that effectively deputized the Postal Service to control voting by mail. That order would have required all ballots be shipped in special envelopes that require new equipment to print, and the Postal Service would have to approve nearly 10,000 voting jurisdictions’ designs in advance.
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