23/06/2026
For US voters, info from Democrats Abroad (but this affects ANY US citizen voting from abroad, regardless of party):
The Trump Administration and the U.S. Postal Service are moving forward with a plan that could fundamentally disrupt voting by mail. Your ballot and millions of others could be at risk.
What’s happening? The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has said it is building a new records system and will only deliver ballots to voters who are on their mailing list. If carried through, this rule would mean that the USPS will only deliver ballots to voters who appear on specific lists provided by the states. This is yet another attempt by Trump to take control of elections from the states by creating a federal database of voters and determining who gets a ballot.
USPS is currently accepting comments on this proposal in a Federal public comment period. This period is one of the few opportunities we have to demand answers before these changes move forward. The deadline for submitting a comment is July 2, 5pm Eastern. Find the comment form here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/02/2026-10968/ballot-mail-for-federal-elections
The USPS states that UOCAVA voters are outside the scope of this work. However, for U.S. citizens living abroad, any disruption to mail ballot delivery poses a significant threat to voter participation.
Join Democrats Abroad in calling on USPS to protect the votes for U.S. citizens and military voters abroad and preserve reliable access to the ballot for millions of other U.S. citizens back home.
Take Action Now
Submit a public comment to USPS by July 2, 5pm Eastern.
Federal Register comment form: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/02/2026-10968/ballot-mail-for-federal-elections
Then verify your UOCAVA status and make sure you have a current Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) on file for 2026 - and have asked to have your ballot emailed to you.
Points to Include
Explain why reliable election mail service is essential for Americans living overseas.
Describe any personal experiences with delayed ballots, international mail challenges, military mail, diplomatic pouch services, or ballot return deadlines.
Point out that claiming UOCAVA voters are exempt does not necessarily mean UOCAVA voters are unaffected.
Ask USPS to explain why it believes exemption alone is sufficient protection for overseas and military voters.
Ask what specific operational safeguards, performance standards, monitoring procedures, or contingency plans USPS will implement to ensure overseas and military voters remain fully protected.
The right to vote should not depend on where a U.S. citizen happens to live or serve. USPS should provide clear assurances that overseas and military voters will remain able to successfully receive, cast, and return their ballots.
The Postal Service is proposing to amend the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), regarding the transmission of mail-in or absentee ballots for federal elections pursuant to its rulemaking authority.
