USPS Launches Ballot Barcode Tracking System of Records
Published Date: 9/1/2026
Notice
Summary
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is responding to public comments regarding the creation of a new General Privacy Act System of Records (SOR) USPS 820.225, Federal Ballot Mail. The new SOR coincides with the Postal Service's publication of the Final Rule amending the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), regarding the transmission of mail-in or absentee ballots for federal elections. The Postal Service created the SOR to maintain a list of individuals, each individual's address, the unique Intelligent Mail barcodes printed on each individual's outbound and return ballot envelope for a federal election, and the state or political subdivision thereof that issued such ballot for inclusion on a state's Mail-in and Absentee Participation List, as required by the new DMM section. There will be no changes to the new system of records in light of public comments received.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
USPS will store mail‑ballot metadata
The Postal Service created a new System of Records, USPS 820.225 (Federal Ballot Mail), that will store a list of individuals, each person's address, the unique Intelligent Mail barcodes printed on outbound and return federal ballot envelopes, and the state or political subdivision that issued the ballot. This recordkeeping supports the new Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) requirements for Federal Ballot Mail.
Records may be disclosed to government or law enforcement
The SOR states that records may be disclosed to law enforcement and government agencies under standard authorized uses or routine uses in USPS guidance and the Privacy Act. The notice clarifies that sharing with the Department of Homeland Security is not contemplated but could occur if authorized by an applicable routine use.
Ballot contents will not be collected
USPS says it will not inspect or record the content of mail‑in ballots, will not collect party affiliation, and postal personnel are not authorized to open mail sealed against inspection. The SOR will only contain exterior addressing and barcode information.
Records retained only as needed
USPS states the records in the Federal Ballot Mail SOR will be retained for the minimum amount of time necessary to accomplish the Postal Service's business needs related to Federal Ballot Mail. The agency analyzed its use and business need for the records.
You can request access to your SOR records
The notice says record access procedures for the Federal Ballot Mail SOR follow the same Postal Service System of Records rules as other USPS SORs. Individuals seeking access may use the notification procedures identified in the SOR and will be treated the same as with other Postal Service records.
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