NJ Dems Demand USPS Reject Trump Mail Order

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09) today led nine members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation in urging the U.S. Postal Service to reject President Trump’s efforts to seize control of mail voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Congresswoman’s Pou letter is signed by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Congressmembers Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Herb Conaway (D-NJ-03), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06), Rob Menendez (D-NJ-08), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12). 

“We write to condemn the administration’s unlawful executive order seeking to seize states’ constitutional authority over elections. . . . Any effort by the executive branch to dictate or interfere with election administration through federal agencies is not just unlawful, it violates the fundamental principle of separation of powers,” the members write the Postmaster General.

The members continue: “The dangers of federal overreach regarding elections—both in New Jersey and across the country—are not just theoretical. They are immediate and real. Any federal action, whether through directive, pressure, or operational change, that disrupts these systems would be unlawful and could disenfranchise voters who rely on the mail to cast their ballots. Seniors, military voters, working families, and people with disabilities would be hit hardest by any decline in the reliability or neutrality of election mail. USPS cannot be used to carry out an unconstitutional executive order.”

On March 31, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order targeting mail-in voting, directing federal agencies to compile lists of “verified” citizens and restrict ballots to those lists – an unprecedented federal intrusion into state-run elections. State officials and legal experts across the country have condemned the order as an unlawful power grab that could make it harder for Americans to vote under the guise of “election security.”

The full text of Congresswoman Pou’s letter is below.

April 6, 2026

Dear Postmaster General Steiner

We write to condemn the administration’s unlawful executive order seeking to seize states’ constitutional authority over elections. The Constitution is clear: authority over the “Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections” belongs to the states, with Congress—not the President—as the only federal check. Any effort by the executive branch to dictate or interfere with election administration through federal agencies is not just unlawful, it violates the fundamental principle of separation of powers. Against that backdrop, any effort to involve the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) in carrying out this executive order—especially in ways that affect the handling, timing, or treatment of election mail—must be rejected.

In New Jersey, election officials have shown that our systems, including vote-by-mail, can be both secure and accessible to eligible voters. For decades, our state has put in place strong safeguards to protect election integrity. Mail-in ballots, for example, must meet strict labeling requirements, including clear markings such as “Official Mail-In Ballot” and “It is against the law for anyone except you, the voter, to mark or inspect this ballot.” Voters must also verify their identity by signing under penalty of perjury and potential criminal charges. Every county is required to provide secure ballot drop boxes equipped with security cameras to protect ballots.  State law also sets clear timelines and rules for the delivery, receipt, and counting of ballots. And voters can track their ballots and confirm that they were received.

In addition to state law, New Jersey launched its Voter Protection Initiative in 2022, a multi-agency effort to safeguard election integrity. The program monitors and investigates election fraud and other criminal violations and directs reports of interference to local and federal law enforcement as needed. Together, these protections have produced secure elections, high participation, orderly administration, and strong public confidence. They also reflect the constitutional authority of states to set the time, place, and manner of elections.

To be clear, USPS itself has recognized the limits of its authority in its recent rulemaking, specifically stating: 

“Postal Service does not administer elections, establish the rules or deadlines that govern elections, or determine whether or how election jurisdictions utilize the mail or incorporate our postmark into their rules. The Postal Service also does not advocate for or against any particular voting practices (including mail-in voting). Instead, the Postal Service collects, processes, transports, and delivers mail and packages that are mailable under federal law. As part of that role, we deliver the nation's Election Mail when public policy makers and election officials choose to use the mail as a part of their election system and when citizens choose to utilize our services to participate in an election.”

This statement from USPS clearly defines its role and legal obligations. USPS is a neutral carrier of election mail—not an election authority. It cannot assume powers reserved to the states or change its operations in ways that interfere with state election laws or voter access.

The dangers of federal overreach regarding elections—both in New Jersey and across the country—are not just theoretical. They are immediate and real. Any federal action, whether through directive, pressure, or operational change, that disrupts these systems would be unlawful and could disenfranchise voters who rely on the mail to cast their ballots. Seniors, military voters, working families, and people with disabilities would be hit hardest by any decline in the reliability or neutrality of election mail. USPS cannot be used to carry out an unconstitutional executive order. Doing so would be a direct attack on states’ constitutional authority over our elections.  Accordingly, we demand that USPS:

1. Refuse to implement any provision of Trump’s executive order that interferes with state election laws or the established handling of election mail;
2. Publicly reaffirm the Postal Service’s commitment to neutrality and to following state election laws;
3. Coordinate closely with state and local election officials—including those in New Jersey—to ensure the timely, secure, and accurate delivery of all election mail consistent with state law; and
4. Provide Congress with a full and transparent accounting of any communications, guidance, or operational changes considered in response to this executive order.

At a time when our democratic institutions are under great strain, the rule of law must prevail over political partisanship. The Constitution does not allow the executive branch to seize control of state-run elections, nor does not permit federal agencies to carry out that dangerous overreach. USPS must remain what the law requires and what our nation has counted on for generations: a neutral, reliable carrier for the people’s voice—not a tool to suppress it.

Sincerely,

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