Maryland Attorney General Joins Multistate Effort Against Postal Service Rule Impacting Mail-In Voting

BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is part of a coalition of 24 state attorneys general who have formally expressed their opposition to a proposed rule by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The proposed rule, according to the attorneys general, represents an attempt to undermine voting rights and could improperly centralize control over mail-in voting procedures. Despite recent court injunctions against the rule, the USPS has not yet withdrawn it.

The opposition stems from a proposed rule that would implement directives from a presidential executive order signed on March 31. This executive order aimed to establish a comprehensive citizenship list and a national registry of voters eligible for mail-in voting in federal elections. The order stipulated that the USPS would be responsible for transmitting mail ballots only to individuals on this specific eligibility list. Furthermore, the order suggested potential penalties for states and election officials who did not adhere to these requirements, including the threat of criminal prosecution and loss of federal funding.

A federal court in the District of Columbia has already taken action, issuing an injunction against the USPS from making this proposed rule final. This injunction came after a previous lawsuit, in which Attorney General Brown joined, successfully led to a federal judge striking down the executive order itself. The attorneys general argue that the USPS’s continued pursuit of this proposed rule, even after judicial intervention, violates the court’s order and constitutes an overreach of federal authority. They assert that the Constitution does not grant the President the power to unilaterally alter federal election procedures, especially without congressional authorization. The proposed rule is also seen as being in conflict with the USPS’s statutory obligations and existing federal voting laws.

The attorneys general contend that if implemented, this rule would create significant disruption and confusion, particularly in the lead-up to the 2026 elections. States would be compelled to rapidly adjust their established election administration processes and conduct extensive voter education campaigns mere months before mail voting for the general election commences. Such abrupt and sweeping changes carry a substantial risk of disenfranchising eligible voters. The coalition emphasizes that all eligible citizens are entitled to cast their ballots and have them counted, and that mail-in voting is a practice utilized by voters across all parties and backgrounds, including the President himself. Recent legal precedent, such as the Supreme Court’s decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee, has affirmed states’ authority in administering their own elections, including the provision for mail-in ballots.

Joining Attorney General Brown in filing the comment letter were the attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland Attorney General.

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