Maryland comptroller urges USPS to drop proposed mail-in voting rule

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman is urging the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to withdraw a proposed rule she says could make it harder for eligible voters to cast mail-in ballots.

The proposed rule would require state election officials to provide USPS with lists of voters who have requested mail-in or absentee ballots at least 30 days before ballots are mailed.

In comments submitted July 2 to Postmaster General David Steiner during the agency’s public comment period, Lierman argued the proposal would interfere with state election authority, create new administrative burdens, and potentially disenfranchise voters.

ALSO READ | SUN: Man found not guilty in Peeping Tom case at Towson apartment complex

Under the proposal, ballot delivery would be tied to whether a voter appears on those lists.

Lierman said the requirement would place USPS in a role that should remain the responsibility of state election officials.

Election integrity and accessibility are central to our democracy, and Maryland has worked hard to ensure that eligible voters can participate safely, securely, and conveniently in our elections,” said Lierman, via press release. “The proposal by USPS creates new barriers for voters while placing costly and unnecessary burdens on state and local election officials. Election administration is a responsibility entrusted to the states, and I urge USPS to withdraw this proposal.

Mail-in voting has become a significant part of Maryland elections in recent years.

Since the expansion of mail-in voting in 2020, about one-quarter of eligible Maryland voters have cast ballots by mail during general elections, according to the comptroller’s office.

The USPS has not publicly responded to Lierman’s comments.