Attorney General Clark Sues Postal Service Over Unlawful Attempt to Interfere With States' Vote-by-Mail Procedures

Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the United States Postal Service (USPS) challenging its new rule that purports to grant USPS the authority to regulate mail voting in elections. Tens of millions of voters across the country rely on mail-in ballots, and the coalition argues USPS's rule will prevent states from effectively administering their mail voting programs, putting eligible voters at risk of being disenfranchised.

"Mail-in voting is safe and secure and makes it more accessible for Vermonters, especially across our rural state, to participate in our democracy," said Attorney General Clark. "The Constitution makes the states primarily responsible for elections. This USPS Rule unnecessarily inserts the postal service into Vermont's voting process and will serve mainly to cause confusion and chaos weeks before the election. I will continue to fight any attempts by the Trump Administration to undermine mail-in voting or otherwise interfere in our elections."

"As the Governor and I affirmed together this week, Vermont is committed to both the constitutional role of the states in administering our elections, and the secure and accessible practice of voting by mail, which has been used by almost two-thirds of Vermont voters in the last two general elections," said Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas. "With the General Election coming up in less than 70 days, we will continue to stand up against any attempt to interfere with Vermonters' right to vote."

On March 31, President Trump issued an Executive Order attempting to establish a national list of eligible voters and directing USPS to transmit mail ballots only to voters on the list. On August 21, USPS announced a new rule implementing the President's demands that requires states to register every voter who is eligible to vote by mail with USPS and tasking USPS with compiling the registered voters into state-specific lists. The rule also establishes new design requirements for the mail-in ballot envelopes created by states, which states are required to meet and get approved by USPS. Under the rule, USPS will not deliver ballots to voters who do not appear on the USPS-generated lists and will not deliver ballots in envelopes that fail to comply with the rule's new standards.

Attorney General Clark and the coalition argue that the rule inflicts significant, irreparable harm on states by imposing burdensome mail voting requirements that risk disenfranchising eligible voters. With the start of the general election season weeks away, states must bear the cost of redesigning their mail ballot envelopes and securing USPS review and approval before they can even register mail voters with USPS. Within a matter of weeks and without any additional resources, state election officials must also develop new systems to communicate mail voter lists to USPS to ensure that every eligible voter who is entitled to a mail ballot receives one. States must also create new guidance for election officials, train them on the new procedures, and educate the public about the changes prior to the upcoming election.

Even if states were to meet these enormous administrative and financial burdens, the rule could still result in eligible voters not receiving their ballots due to, for instance, administrative errors or flaws in the rushed and untested new procedures.

Over the past several decades, voting by mail has become more popular across the country. In 2024, more than 237,000 Vermonters, or 64% of voters, voted early, largely by returning the ballot by mail. Since the inception of vote-by-mail, Congress has never exercised its authority to limit it, and in fact, has only taken action to expand and protect mail voting for military and overseas voters. Congress has also never authorized USPS to monitor or control the transmission of mail ballots.

The coalition argues that USPS's rule violates the Constitution, which makes clear that states have the primary authority to administer elections, and upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures, including Vermont's universal vote-by-mail system which has been operating smoothly since 2020. The lawsuit argues that the rule is inconsistent with USPS's governing statutes, ignores USPS's procedural requirements, violates the Privacy Act, and is inconsistent with federal voting rights law. The coalition asks the court to strike down the unlawful rule and issue a temporary restraining order preventing the rule from taking effect while the litigation proceeds.

This USPS rule is the latest attempt by President Trump to exert federal control over elections and seize states' constitutional authority to administer elections. In April, Attorney General Clark joined a coalition of 24 states in suing the Trump Administration to block its unlawful Executive Order that prompted the creation of USPS's rule.

Joining Attorney General Clark in filing this lawsuit, which was co-led by the attorneys general of California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington, are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Governor of Pennsylvania.

Today's lawsuit is the 64th case Attorney General Clark has brought against the Trump Administration since President Trump took office in January 2025. For more information on actions taken by the Attorney General on behalf of Vermonters, visit our website.

Contact: Haley Sommer, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, 802-828-3171