Whistleblower Warns Trump's USPS Overhaul Could Reject Millions of Mail Ballots

WASHINGTON —

An anonymous federal official has told Congress that a new U.S. Postal Service system for verifying mail-in ballots is so poorly built that it could reject millions of votes in this fall's midterm elections, according to a whistleblower complaint reported by NBC News Politics and Independent US Politics.

The complaint, sent to the office of Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, describes the system as the product of a "rushed, chaotic, and fundamentally flawed process," NBC News Politics reported. Blumenthal forwarded the complaint to Postmaster General David Steiner on Monday and demanded more information, telling reporters the effort is "blatantly incompetent and incapable of actually delivering ballots that are lawful in this midterm election."

A Rushed System Under Fire

The system stems from an executive order President Donald Trump signed in March, directing the government to build a federal list of citizens and requiring the Postal Service to send mail ballots only to people on that list, according to NBC News Politics. The Postal Service does not normally check voter eligibility; that job belongs to state election officials.

According to the complaint, the Postal Service did not start building the verification portal "in earnest" until June, giving it less than three months for work that would typically take nine to 12 months. Postal officials and IT specialists quoted in the complaint called the rollout a "mess" and a "s--- show," Independent US Politics reported.

The design carries what the whistleblower called a zero-percent failure policy: if even one barcode among a batch of up to 10,000 ballots fails to scan correctly, the entire batch is rejected and sent back to the state, according to the complaint cited by NBC News Politics. Libby Liu, chief executive of Whistleblower Aid, which represents the official, said in a statement that the process could "disenfranchise millions of voters, ensnaring ballots in red tape under the guise of solving a non-existent problem."

The White House disputed the allegations. Spokesperson Lauren Bis said building the verification software "is neither complex nor unique for USPS" since the agency already handles bulk mail and barcodes for large customers, according to NBC News Politics. The Postal Service did not respond to NBC's request for comment.

Courts, Politics, and a Midterm Deadline

Federal courts have repeatedly blocked the administration from putting the new rules into effect. The Supreme Court allowed Trump's executive order to stand for now, but three days later, District Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary restraining order blocking the specific USPS changes, Independent US Politics reported. A separate court order Monday said the government could keep building its verification portal as long as states are not required to use it, according to NBC News Politics.

The fight is unfolding as Trump pushes the Senate to pass his SAVE America Act, which would further restrict mail voting and add national voter ID rules. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has expressed doubts about weakening the filibuster to pass it, Independent US Politics reported. Meanwhile, states including North Carolina, which must start sending ballots 60 days before Election Day under state law, are already preparing for November with the legal fight over the new system still unresolved.