USPS Halts Development of Mail Voting System After Court Ruling

Why it matters locally: The halt in developing a new mail voting system by the USPS could affect the administration of future elections in Minnesota, which utilizes vote-by-mail as a common practice. Local election officials across the state may need to rely on existing infrastructure and processes for mail-in ballots.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stated Thursday that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has stopped development on a computer system designed for mail voting. This halt follows the Supreme Court's rejection of an executive order this week. The executive order related to former President Donald Trump's efforts to regulate mail voting. The USPS had been working on the system, which represented a central element in discussions surrounding mail-in ballots during the previous administration. DeJoy's announcement clarifies the agency's current position on the system's future development.