Whistleblower Warns of Flawed USPS Mail Voting System
A whistleblower alleges the USPS built a flawed mail ballot portal in three months, risking voter disenfranchisement amid legal battles.
A whistleblower has alleged that the U.S. Postal Service is rushing to launch a poorly constructed computer system for mail voting, potentially jeopardizing ballots for millions of Americans. The disclosure, released by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, claims the system was built in just three months—a process that normally takes over a year—and is riddled with errors.
The system is part of President Donald Trump's executive order limiting mail voting, which has faced legal challenges. A federal judge temporarily blocked its implementation, but the administration appealed, and the Supreme Court's conservative majority allowed work to resume. The Postal Service released a final rule on August 21 outlining how it would enforce the order, including requiring states to use the new portal to submit voter lists.
The whistleblower's statement, summarized by Whistleblower Aid, says the portal was built without full testing and could cause entire batches of ballot envelopes to be rejected due to a single scanning error. The system also includes a "zero percent" rule, where any error in a batch could lead to all ballots being discarded. Election officials have warned that the system cannot be ready before the first mail ballots go out in North Carolina on Friday.
Senator Blumenthal called the system "designed to disenfranchise millions of Americans," adding that the administration is changing voting procedures for political reasons. The White House has defended the measures as "commonsense" anti-fraud steps. However, a Brookings Institution report found mail voting fraud occurs in only about four cases per 10 million ballots.
Mail voting has become increasingly popular, with over 29% of voters using it in 2024. Trump has long opposed the practice, despite using it himself. The legal battle continues, with a federal judge issuing a 14-day restraining order against implementation. Blumenthal expressed hope the courts will strike down the rule, but advised against voting by mail if it takes effect.