States sue to halt USPS mail-ballot rule amid election-time showdown

California and 23 other states plus Pennsylvania’s governor filed a federal lawsuit to block the Postal Service’s new mail-ballot rules, arguing they exceed federal authority, risk exposing voter data, and could sow chaos des­pite a Supreme Court ruling that allowed the USPS process to proceed. The rules would require states to provide voter lists and use barcode-enveloped ballots, and would connect state lists with federal data. USPS says the measures bolster election security and reliability, while critics warn of cost, timing, and potential suppression—setting up a high-stakes legal battle ahead of the November vote.