Federal government confirms huge voting shakeup plan that’ll hit 22M Californians
Future of California mail-in voting at risk due to proposed new rules
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Politics
Federal government confirms huge voting shakeup plan that’ll hit 22M Californians
By Zain Khan Published June 25, 2026, 1:21 p.m. ETSee more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The California Post on GoogleMore than 22 million registered voters in California could be caught in the middle of a growing fight between the Trump administration and state officials.
The nation’s top postal official has confirmed a proposal is being weighed that could block the delivery of mail ballots in states that refuse to share voter data with the federal government.
Speaking before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Postmaster General David Steiner said the US Postal Service would not deliver mail ballots under a proposed federal rule if a state declined to provide absentee voter information requested by Washington, DC.
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“If a state refuses to turn their absentee voter list over to the federal government, will the Postal Service still mail their ballots under this proposed rule?” Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) asked during the hearing.
“Under our proposed regulation, no,” Steiner replied.
The proposal stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March directing the Postal Service to develop regulations requiring states to provide lists of eligible voters at least 60 days before federal elections.
The administration has argued the measure would help ensure ballots are sent only to eligible voters amid concerns about potential mail voting fraud.
Political consultant Matt Klink said the requirement is a reasonable step to bolster confidence in elections.
“It’s remarkable that some states, blue states, trust the Postal Service to deliver millions of ballots but don’t trust anyone to verify who receives them,” Klink told The California Post.
“Confidence in elections requires more than asking voters to simply take the government’s word for it.” Klink argued that providing voter information to the government should not be viewed as a partisan issue.
“Voting is a constitutional right, but only for eligible voters,” he said. “Asking states to share voter data to protect election integrity is a commonsense safeguard, not a partisan attack.”
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Steiner defended the proposal during the hearing, saying the goal was to make sure “the right ballots are going to the right people.”
The potential impact could be especially significant in California, where every active registered voter automatically receives a mail ballot without requesting an “absentee” ballot every year.
According to state election data, California has more than 22 million registered voters, meaning millions of ballots could theoretically be affected if state officials refuse to comply with the federal requirement on constitutional, legal or privacy grounds.
Election data expert Paul Mitchell said he believes any attempt to withhold ballot delivery would quickly face legal challenges.
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“This is going to have to result in a lawsuit, that the federal government would lose,” Mitchell said.
He argued that election administration is a state responsibility and questioned whether the federal government could lawfully use the Postal Service to influence how states conduct elections.
“States administer elections,” Mitchell said. “The US Postal Service is a creation of the US Constitution and it would degrade Americans’ constitutional rights to have a president refuse the same services to residents of different states over a state-run part of our government — elections.”
Mitchell warned that if the rule were ever implemented, California could be forced to dramatically expand ballot drop boxes, voting centers and in-person polling locations to prevent voter participation from plummeting.
“If somehow the post office did become a political tool of the administration in this way, it would have a dramatic impact on the election,” he said. “It could be a massive cost to the state to try and fairly administer the election in a way that doesn’t dramatically reduce voter turnout — in red and blue areas.”
He added that officials could even be forced to explore unusual alternatives for ballot delivery if mail service became unavailable.
The proposal has also drawn criticism from Democrats who argue the administration is attempting to insert the federal government into an area traditionally overseen by states.
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California Sen. Alex Padilla, the state’s former secretary of state, blasted the plan and warned it could jeopardize voting access nationwide.
“Tens of millions of eligible voters could be prevented from voting by mail if states do not fully submit to this new federal mandate,” Padilla said in a statement criticizing the proposal.
Democrats on the Senate panel also questioned whether the Postal Service has legal authority to enforce election-related requirements. Steiner acknowledged during the hearing that the agency does not administer elections but maintained the proposal is intended as a procedural safeguard.
“I would think that states would want the information to ensure that the ballots that they think they’re sending out are the ballots that are actually getting sent out,” he said.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) urged Steiner to reject the effort, telling him: “Please push back on being a pawn in this authoritarian playbook. The Postal Service is one of the most important institutions in our country. Don’t taint it with the obsession of this one man.”
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The proposed regulation is currently undergoing a 30-day public comment period.
Under Trump’s executive order, the Postal Service is expected to issue a final rule by the end of July, setting the stage for what could become a major legal showdown between Washington and states such as California ahead of future federal elections.
This federal crackdown comes at a time when Republicans have continuously escalated their attacks on California’s election system, pointing to the state’s prolonged ballot counting timelines to allege widespread mail-in voter fraud without evidence.
In reality, election experts note the count takes weeks precisely because California prioritizes voter access, enforcing fewer restrictions by accepting any ballot postmarked by Election Day and legally requiring a meticulous signature-verification process for millions of mail-in envelopes.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
