Nine governors, led by Connecticut's Governor Ned Lamont, have urged U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner to reject President Donald Trump’s proposed amendment to the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service (USPS). This amendment would effectively end mail-in and absentee voting methods, which the governors argue is an unconstitutional attempt to disenfranchise voters and usurp state authority over elections.
The coalition, including governors from California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin, stated that the proposal would hand control to the White House. Governor Lamont emphasized, "A healthy democracy depends on elections that are secure and accessible, and our Constitution gave states—not Washington—primary authority over elections for a reason." He added that the Postal Service was built to deliver mail, not "gatekeep the ballot box."
President Trump’s proposed rule, previously defeated in federal court as an executive order, aims to create a national voter list determined by the federal government. The governors contend this would transform the USPS into an election administering body, risking the disenfranchisement of millions of voters and eroding public trust. They also highlighted strong opposition from rural states, where many rely on mail-in voting due to limited access to polling places.
The governors' letter outlines principles asserting states' constitutional authority over elections and warns that implementing this rule shortly before a general election would disrupt months of planning and diminish trust in the democratic process. They call for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed rule.