USPS Readies Secret System for Mail-In Ballots
Published Date: 7/17/2026
Notice
Summary
The USPS plans to create a new system to handle records about mail-in and absentee ballots for federal elections, but only if a related rule change gets approved after ongoing court battles. This affects voters and USPS workers by aiming to keep ballot mail safe and private. If the rule passes, the new record system will kick in within about a month, with no extra costs announced yet.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
SOR takes effect only if ballot rule passes
The Postal Service will only bring this new system of records (SOR) into effect if it issues a final rule amending the Domestic Mail Manual about mail-in or absentee ballots. If that final rule is issued, the SOR becomes effective on the latest of: 30 days after this Notice (published July 17, 2026), the Postal Service's responses to comments, or the effective date of the final DMM rule.
USPS will collect names, addresses, barcodes
If the SOR takes effect, the Postal Service will maintain lists that include each mail-in or absentee voter's name, address, and the unique Intelligent Mail barcode printed on their outbound and return ballot envelopes, plus the issuing state. The SOR will also store Federal Ballot Portal user details such as name, email, username, password, phone, title, affiliated jurisdiction, and address.
Data may be shared with election officials
The SOR allows the Postal Service to provide the ballot lists and related data to each state's chief election official, authorized state or local election officials, or entities authorized by those officials to send ballots. The system is intended to let election officials submit lists via a Postal Service Federal Ballot Portal web page.
Records retained for five years
Records in this new SOR would be retained for five years. That means names, addresses, barcodes, and portal user information would be kept for five years after entry into the system.
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Key Dates
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