Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner seeking immediate clarification regarding a recent executive order issued by Donald Trump that directs the United States Postal Service to “restrict the delivery of absentee and mail ballots based on a federally compiled eligibility list and new ballot envelope requirements.”
In the April 8 letter, Krishnamoorthi cautioned that the order could place USPS in an unprecedented and concerning position in the administration of federal elections.
“These directives would place USPS in an unprecedented gatekeeping role — effectively determining which voters will receive ballots — despite longstanding constitutional principles that reserve election administration to the states and Congress,” according to a statement from Krishnamoorthi’s office.
The letter outlines concerns that requiring USPS to rely on federal citizenship databases and cross-check state voter rolls could lead to administrative challenges, delays, and confusion in the months leading up to the 2026 midterm elections.
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“Moreover, requiring USPS—an entity with no traditional role in voter verification—to integrate and reconcile these disparate systems would impose significant administrative burdens, introduce new points of failure, and likely create delays or errors that could undermine voter confidence and disrupt election administration, particularly in the lead-up to high-turnout federal elections.”
Krishnamoorthi also stated that the executive order appears to be based on claims of widespread mail ballot fraud that have been repeatedly disproven, noting that there is no credible evidence to justify restricting ballot access through federal intervention. The letter further emphasized that assigning USPS a role in determining voter eligibility would mark a departure from its longstanding function as a neutral, nonpartisan carrier of election mail.
In his letter, Krishnamoorthi requested that USPS provide a detailed response by Monday, April 20, 2026, addressing several key questions:
- What legal analysis has USPS conducted regarding its authority, or lack thereof, to implement the directives in the executive order?
- Has USPS received formal guidance from the Department of Justice or other federal agencies regarding compliance, and will that guidance be shared with Congress?
- What operational changes would be necessary to implement these directives, and what impact would they have on nationwide mail delivery timelines?
- What measures will USPS take to ensure that eligible voters are not disenfranchised due to administrative errors, delayed updates, or conflicts with state election laws?
- Will USPS commit to maintaining its longstanding role as a neutral carrier of election mail and decline responsibilities that require the agency to determine voter eligibility?
