The current US administration is trying to control the midterm elections at the federal level, particularly by attacking voting by mail and building a federal voter roll, aiming to control which Americans will be allowed to vote. The Guardian gives a good summary of the issues:
The … administration is waging war on voting rights using justice department lawsuits, FBI investigations and an executive order to limit voting by mail, … say election experts and ex-officials. …
[A] March 2026 executive order on voting by mail … charges the [US Postal Service (USPS)] with deciding who may vote by mail and authorizes it not to deliver ballots sent by individuals who are not included on newly developed federal mail voter lists.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has demanded that states turn over copies of their voting rolls, including the names and personal information of all registered voters. As with the so-called “SAVE America“ Act, the reason given is the prevention of voter fraud, which is already vanishingly rare. Several states have handed over their voter rolls to DOJ; others are fighting this demand in the courts and winning (Guardian). The latest effort is a proposed new rule for USPS that would require it to stop the delivery of voted ballots from states that have not complied with DOJ’s demand.
Navigating this crisis in US democracy requires everyone to pitch in. July 4 is the 250th birthday of our country. Help to celebrate it now by:
- opposing this rule and sharing your views on this issue with your representatives in Congress;
- ensuring that you and your club members are registered to vote and have made plans to ensure that they can cast valid ballots in 2026; and
- staying informed to advise others and adjust voting plans as necessary.
Contact FAWCO’s US Voting Committee () with questions or suggestions.
1. Oppose new USPS rule
A proposed new federal rule will require the USPS to act as a gatekeeper for mail-in ballots by vetting them against a list of federally approved voters. USPS proposes not to deliver ballots in states that have not submitted their voter rolls to DOJ. If implemented, such a rule would obviously suppress the votes of US citizens. Civil rights and public interest groups are suing to block the implementation of the rule.
Comment
Americans can comment on this proposal by email until July 2. Send comments opposing this rule to with the subject "Ballot Mail." Comments are posted publicly, so be factual and courteous. Here’s a sample comment:
The US Constitution (Article 1 Section 4) grants to states alone the power to prepare and conduct elections. The federal government has no power over the election process in any state. Voting by mail has been proven to be safe, secure and legitimate. The USPS is supposed to be committed to the timely delivery of election mail to voters and local election officials. USPS interference in the transmission of voted mail-in ballots through this proposed rule is unconstitutional and impracticable, and would suppress the legitimate votes of US citizens, particularly those of disabled people, people who live in rural areas, and members of the military and civilians voting from overseas. The USPS should NOT adopt this rule.
Contact your representatives in Congress
Share your opposition to the rule—and the unconstitutional attempt to tamper with state control of elections—with your Representative and Senators. Click here to find out how to contact them. If you’re not sure what to say, you can find a sample text here (https://5calls.org/issue/usps-mail-voting-rule/).
2. Ensure that you and your club members are registered to vote and have voting plans
Register
If you have not yet registered to vote, do it now. (Click here for advice on how.) Make sure you ask to receive your ballot electronically (email/online), so you don't have to wait for delivery to your mailbox, and can skip the USPS on one leg of the ballot journey at least.
Once registered, check your registration status with your local election official; their contact details are listed on the PDF generated when you filled out the form, and on the websites of FAWCO partner the US Vote Foundation and the US government (https://www.usa.gov/state-election-office).
Make a voting plan
Follow three steps to vote in the 2026 US elections.
- Register/request your ballot as soon as possible.
- Receive your ballot, preferably electronically, and complete it as soon as possible, carefully following the instructions accompanying it.
- Return your completed, signed ballot as fast as possible. Consider alternatives to USPS for ballot return.
Voting from overseas is like taking a test in school: you have to follow all the instructions to ensure that your ballot will be counted, as well as completing and returning your voted ballot as fast as you can.
See further details here: the advice is still valid.
Consider alternatives to the USPS for ballot return
Most overseas voters rely on the USPS for ballot delivery in the USA. If the USPS follows the new rule, it may become unreliable. Keep an eye on the news (including from FAWCO), and consider returning your ballot by other means. These could include fax (details here), even if you do not have a fax machine handy. Note that the federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) has just announced that it will no longer offer its service of faxing overseas voters’ election materials to county election officials. Also note that using fax means that your ballot will not be anonymous.
You can also use a courier service (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.); it’s generally the quickest option for ballot return. Courier services cannot deliver to a P.O. Box, so you need to get and use a delivery address from your local election official. You should—and some states require you to—ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope. Follow the instructions that come with your ballot to be sure it is correctly marked; that is crucial to its being counted.
3. Stay informed and spread the word in your club and community
Stay informed
Stay informed, so that you can adjust your voting plan as circumstances demand, and spread the word to others who need to know it. Be sure to get your news from reliable sources.
Spread the word and keep assisting voters
Share this news and advice through your club and community. Keep calm and keep assisting voters.
Navigating this crisis in US democracy requires everyone to pitch in.
Contact FAWCO’s US Voting Committee () with questions or suggestions.
