USPS wouldn't deliver ballots in states that refuse to fork over mail-in voter info under proposed rule

Postmaster General David Steiner indicated that under a proposed rule. if a state declines to provide the federal government with its absentee voter list, USPS would not mail ballots for those states. (Credit: Senate Homeland Security Committee)

U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner indicated to Senate Homeland Security. Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters, D-Mich., during a Wednesday hearing that under a proposed rule, if a state declined to furnish the federal government with its absentee voter list, theU.S. Postal Service (USPS)would not mail election ballots in that state.

Peters asked Steiner whether. under the proposal, the USPS would mail ballots from a state that "refuses" to provide the federal government with the state's absentee voter list.

"Under our proposed regulation, no," Steiner said.

DHS APPROVES PLAN TO VERIFY VOTER CITIZENSHIP, MONITOR MAIL BALLOTS AS TRUMP PUSH INTENSIFIES

David Steiner, postmaster general of the United States Postal Service (USPS), is sworn in during a Senate Homeland Security. Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.(Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"All that does. senator, is make sure that we match the ballots that a state believes they're sending out to what actually gets sent out," he said.

Part of the proposed rule, which pertains to federal election balloting, would create a process in which states "will notify the Postal Service of the individuals to whom they are mailing a mail-in or absentee ballot, along with the unique barcode applied to the outbound. return ballot mail envelope for such individuals such that the name and barcode of the voter will be included on a Mail-In and Absentee Participation List," according to the text of theproposal.

The states "may thereafter add to or modify the list of enrollees until the last day that ballots may be mailed out to individuals under state law," the proposal notes, adding that "the Postal Service will provide to each state's chief election official a final State-Specific Mail-In. Absentee Participation List for each state compiling the names of all enrolled individuals in such state, along with the barcodes associated with such individuals' mail-in or absentee ballots."

USPS REVEALS SHOCKING NUMBER OF DOG ATTACKS ON MAIL CARRIERS, ISSUES URGENT WARNING TO PET OWNERS

Peters said the "effort by this administration to nationalizeelectionsand have the federal government having this information is incredibly dangerous precedent."

"We need to protect the integrity of the voting rolls. We need to protect the separation of elections from federal government. ensure that ourstate and local governmentsare the one administering their own elections," he declared.

POSTAL SERVICE CAN'T BE SUED FOR INTENTIONALLY NOT DELIVERING MAIL, SUPREME COURT RULES IN 5-4 SPLIT

Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan. ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, during a hearing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.(Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to theWhite Housefor comment.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.