WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Postal Service proposed new rules on Friday that would require states to provide voter-level data on mail-in ballots in federal elections. The proposal, scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on June 2, would mandate that states submit the names and addresses of voters receiving mail-in or absentee ballots, along with unique barcodes tied to each voter's outbound and return ballot envelopes.

USPS said the rule would help determine how many ballots were mailed and allow officials to compare that figure with the number of ballots returned to detect potential issues for further investigation. The requirement would apply to general, special, and runoff federal elections, but not primaries or ballots sent to military and overseas voters. The data would be used to create state-specific "Mail-In and Absentee Participation Lists" through a new Federal Ballot Mail Portal.

The rule would also require official logos, tracking barcodes, and a reporting system linking voters to specific envelopes. USPS would be authorized to return outbound federal ballot mailings that do not meet the new standards or are not tied to state-submitted voter lists. States would retain control over who is eligible to vote by mail, consistent with the constitutional designation of states as the primary overseers of election-related functions.

The proposal follows President Trump’s March 31 executive order on elections, which directed USPS to begin a rulemaking on mail-in and absentee ballot services. A federal judge on Thursday declined to immediately block the mail-voting provisions of the order, finding the legal challenge premature because agencies had not yet implemented the directive. The judge’s ruling leaves open the possibility that Democrats could challenge the policy again once further implementation steps occur.

"The entire Trump Administration will continue lawfully enacting the agenda President Trump was elected to enact – which includes the safety and security of American elections," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told CNBC. "This campaign pledge from the President is why millions of Americans sent him back to the White House," she added.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, sharply criticized the proposal, calling it a "malicious attempt by the Trump administration to suppress the votes of millions and try to throw the election results." He said in a statement, "Mail-in voting is safe and secure – period. This new rule is just another malicious attempt by the Trump administration to suppress the votes of millions and try to throw the election results." Schumer continued, "Democrats will continue our fight in the courts and in Congress to ensure that every voter can cast their ballot this November." Public comments on the proposed rule are due 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register.