{"id":2618539,"date":"2026-06-24T14:03:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/postmaster-general-spars-with-senate-democrats-over-mail-in-ballot-restrictions\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:06:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:06:58","slug":"postmaster-general-spars-with-senate-democrats-over-mail-in-ballot-restrictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/postmaster-general-spars-with-senate-democrats-over-mail-in-ballot-restrictions\/","title":{"rendered":"Postmaster General spars with Senate Democrats over mail-in ballot restrictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpostmaster-general-spars-with-senate-democrats-over-mail-in-ballot-restrictions%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2618539&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Democrats and Republicans clashed with USPS Postmaster General David Steiner during a Senate hearing over USPS\u2019s decision to halt delivery of mail-in ballots in states that don\u2019t share their voter rolls with the federal government. Democrats accused Steiner of acting under President Trump\u2019s executive order to establish a national voter verification system,including proposing rules to create unique barcodes for mail-in ballots. They argued that such efforts lack legal authority and raise concerns about election integrity and federal overreach. Steiner defended the proposal, citing its alignment with practices used by several states, and emphasized its aim for efficient, secure ballot processing. Senators questioned whether USPS would deliver ballots to states refusing to cooperate and expressed fears about the potential misuse of voter data. Democrats challenged the legality of sharing voter data with the federal government, while some also criticized Steiner for seeming to follow a political agenda. Republicans, including Senator Hawley, criticized USPS management, raising concerns over undelivered mail and demanding accountability. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-gop-grills-sanctuary-city-mayors-over-immigration\/\" title=\"House GOP grills sanctuary city mayors over immigration\">hearing highlighted tensions<\/a> over postal policies, election security, and the federal government\u2019s role in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >managing voting processes amid ongoing legal<\/a> and political debates.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate-democrats\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1068\">Senate Democrats<\/a> sparred with Postmaster General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance\/4493796\/what-to-know-about-usps-dire-financial-state-oversight-hearing\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4493796\">David Steiner<\/a> on Wednesday over the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/usps\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2443\">U.S. Postal Service<\/a>\u2018s move to stop delivering <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mail-in-voting\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"9918\">mail-in ballots<\/a> in states that don\u2019t hand over their voter rolls to the federal government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Steiner, who has stayed out of the political spotlight since taking the lead role at USPS last year, was grilled by Democrats on the entity\u2019s decision to follow President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2018s executive order to functionally establish a national <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4511712\/trump-executive-order-mail-in-voting\/\">voter verification system<\/a> for mail-in ballots. In late May, USPS <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4602591\/usps-stop-mail-in-ballot-voter-roll\/\">proposed a rule <\/a>that would create a \u201cMail-In and Absentee Participation List\u201d in line with Trump\u2019s executive order request, if approved.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4622922\/elizabeth-warren-senate-republicans-still-bow-down-to-trump\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Elizabeth Warren: Senate Republicans still \u2018bow down\u2019 to Trump<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4622974\/thune-trump-veto-bipartisan-housing-bill\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Thune urges Trump not to veto bipartisan housing bill: \u2018Hope he doesn\u2019t go there\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4621998\/watch-live-postal-service-senate-testimony\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>WATCH LIVE: Postmaster general testifies before Senate on Postal Service reform<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elissa-slotkin\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11673\">Elissa Slotkin<\/a> (D-MI) bashed Steiner for the rule proposal, calling Steiner a \u201cpawn\u201d in the Trump administration\u2019s \u201cauthoritarian playbook.\u201d Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gary-peters\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1182\">Gary Peters<\/a> (D-MI), ranking member of the homeland security and government affairs committee, also slammed the Postmaster General for following the executive order.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s no federal law that the postal service is authorized to create these types of voter databases, ballot verification systems, or mandatory standards \u2013 it just simply doesn\u2019t exist,\u201d Peters said. \u201cJust because President Trump wants to do this does not make it law, doesn\u2019t make it right, doesn\u2019t make it constitutional.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Steiner backed the rule proposal, saying it was in line with longstanding recommendations from the postal service. Steiner focused on the aspect of the rule proposal and executive order that would create a unique barcode and envelope for each individual mail-in ballot. He said that the rule is \u201cnot a political question, it\u2019s a question of how do we most efficiently and securely move ballots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat is what our proposed rules suggest: is that we have unique barcode, unique envelope,\u201d Steiner said. \u201cThat is not something that is new, that\u2019s something that\u2019s been being used by states throughout the country on both sides of the political spectrum. So, California has followed it, Oregon has followed it, Arizona has followed it, Florida has followed it, among many other states.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the proposed USPS rule, each state would first hand USPS a list of voters who are submitting mail-in ballots for that election, along with each voter\u2019s corresponding personalized barcode on their ballots. Then, the USPS would return a final \u201cMail-In and Absentee Participation List\u201d to each state\u2019s chief election official to finalize the names of all enrolled voters in the state and the barcodes associated with their ballots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Peters pressed Steiner on whether USPS would still deliver mail-in ballots to a state if it hypothetically refused to turn its absentee voter list over to the federal government, Steiner replied no. Peters then fired back and said the rule essentially \u201ccoerces\u201d states to conform with the executive order.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe states control their own elections, that\u2019s pretty clear in the Constitution,\u201d Peters said. \u201cAnd an effort by this administration to nationalize elections and have the federal government having this information is incredibly dangerous precedent. You can imagine sharing this information with the Department of Homeland Security, using this, these lists for a variety of nefarious purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4584934\/judge-rejects-request-injunction-block-trump-executive-order\/\">challenged<\/a> Trump\u2019s mail-in ballot executive order in court, arguing that submitting voter rolls to the federal government is inconsistent with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-doj-deploys-feds-wherever-gop-poll-watchers-could-disrupt-dems-election-rigging-schemes\/\" title=\"Biden...s DOJ Deploys Feds Wherever GOP Poll Watchers Could Disrupt Dems... Election-Rigging Schemes\">federal voting rights laws<\/a>. As Democratic plaintiffs appeal a judge\u2019s prior denial of their injunction request against the mail-in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-accused-of-colluding-with-left-wing-groups-on-voting-executive-order\/\" title=\"Biden Accused of Colluding With Left-Wing Groups on Voting ...\">voting executive order<\/a>, the USPS rule proposal remains in legal limbo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Democrats weren\u2019t the only ones to spar with the Postmaster General. One Republican senator, Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/josh-hawley\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"914\">Josh Hawley<\/a> (R-MO), fumed at Steiner during a spat that started over Hawley raising concerns about a pile of dumped, undelivered general mail found in his state. Steiner said he was \u201coutraged\u201d by the image of the pile, but that it was his first time hearing of the issue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/4622719\/trump-cancels-major-housing-bill-signing-demand-save-act\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4622719\">TRUMP CANCELS MAJOR HOUSING BILL SIGNING TO DEMAND SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSAGE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hawley then questioned the leadership at USPS, asking Steiner if he would \u201crefuse bonuses so long as the mail goes undelivered.\u201d When Steiner did not answer Hawley directly, the Senator said, \u201cYou are in charge of the postal service and we have given you everything you\u2019ve asked for.\u201d The interaction escalated when Steiner began laughing, attributing his giggles to Hawley\u2019s assertion that Congress has given USPS everything, while the service remains underwater financially.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf things don\u2019t get better, you ought to resign because you\u2019re not doing the job,\u201d Hawley said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats clash with USPS chief over mail-in ballot rules<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2618540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-itjb6bogt-1782312468388.jpg?1782298100&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[39540,34157,39722,33619],"class_list":["post-2618539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-mail-in-ballots","tag-postal-service","tag-postmaster-general","tag-senate-democrats"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-itjb6bogt-1782312468388.jpg?1782298100&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2618539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2618539"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2618539\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2618544,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2618539\/revisions\/2618544"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2618540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2618539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2618539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2618539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}