The Postal Service requirements are blocked for now but could still take effect before the November election.
UPDATE — Sept. 7: A federal judge on Sept. 4 replaced the temporary order described below with a preliminary injunction blocking the Postal Service from making its new mail-ballot requirements mandatory for the Nov. 3 election. The Trump administration has appealed and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the rule to take effect while the litigation continues. The rule remains blocked while those requests are pending.
OKLAHOMA CITY — With the November election approaching, Oklahoma election officials have asked the U.S. Postal Service how they would be expected to comply with a new federal rule governing absentee ballots.
“We have reached out to USPS, but, to date, have not been provided instructions for how to comply with the new rule,” State Election Board communications director Misha Mohr said Tuesday.
The rule is not currently in effect. A federal judge has temporarily blocked it, and the Trump administration is asking an appeals court to lift the block.
What would change
The Postal Service developed the 95-page rule in response to a March executive order from President Donald Trump.
Before mailing absentee ballots containing federal races, election officials would have to submit each voter’s name and address through a federal portal. They also would have to provide unique Postal Service barcodes assigned to the outgoing ballot envelope and the envelope used to return it.
Both envelopes would have to meet federal design and tracking standards. The Postal Service generally would not accept a batch of outgoing federal ballots until it verified that the requirements had been met.
Because Oklahoma’s Nov. 3 ballot includes federal races, the rule would apply to absentee ballots mailed for the general election.
The rule would not require voters to submit information or obtain barcodes. Those responsibilities would fall on election officials.
The Postal Service says the system would improve ballot tracking and help identify possible misuse of the mail. It also says postal employees would not inspect ballots, collect party affiliation, determine voter eligibility or decide whether a ballot should be counted.
The rule remains in court
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani temporarily blocked the rule after voting-rights groups challenged it. She concluded that the challengers were likely to show the Postal Service had exceeded its authority and that implementing the requirements so close to the election could prevent eligible voters from receiving ballots.
The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court Monday to lift the order. Talwani is scheduled to consider a request for a longer injunction Thursday.
The U.S. Supreme Court last week lifted an injunction in a separate case on procedural grounds but did not decide whether the final Postal Service rule is lawful.
Oklahoma’s absentee rules remain unchanged
For now, any registered Oklahoma voter may request an absentee ballot without giving a reason.
Most requests for the Nov. 3 election must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 19. Standard absentee voters must have the affidavit accompanying their completed ballot notarized.
Mailed ballots must reach the voter’s county election board by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
