MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that he has joined attorneys general from 13 states in filing a comment letter supporting a proposed U.S. Postal Service rule aimed at strengthening mailing standards for mail-in ballots used in federal elections.
According to Marshall’s office, the proposed rule would establish standardized envelope designs for mailed ballots, encourage states to use unique barcodes for ballot tracking, and create a nationwide auditing mechanism for mail-in voting. Supporters say the changes would improve ballot tracking and strengthen oversight while preserving each state’s authority over election administration before ballots enter the postal system.
Marshall said states have constitutional authority over election administration but lose direct control of ballots once they are transferred to the U.S. Postal Service.
“States are the leaders in regulating elections, and yet despite our best efforts to enact policies to deter and detect fraud, voter fraud continues to be a problem. We appreciate the federal government lending a helping hand to shore up our elections and help states provide Americans with confidence in our system,” Marshall said.
He added that Alabama has experienced documented cases of absentee ballot fraud within the past year and said securing the handling of mail-in ballots at the federal level is important because federal election outcomes affect residents nationwide.
According to the comment letter, the proposed USPS rule would:
- Standardize envelope designs for mailed ballots.
- Expand the use of unique barcodes to allow ballot tracking.
- Establish a nationwide auditing mechanism for mail-in voting.
The attorneys general argue these measures would strengthen chain-of-custody protections for mailed ballots while providing states with additional oversight tools without limiting their authority to administer elections.
The letter concludes by urging the Postal Service to finalize the proposal, stating that it addresses vulnerabilities associated with mail-in voting and responds to public concerns about election integrity.
In addition to Alabama, the comment letter was signed by the attorneys general of Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.
