Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and attorneys general from 23 other states plus Washington, D.C., have sued the US Postal Service over a new federal rule governing mail ballots. The coalition argues that the rule unlawfully expands USPS’s role in election administration and could disrupt state preparations for the forthcoming midterm elections; the White House says it is a lawful measure intended to strengthen ballot security.

The rule requires election officials to provide intended mail-ballot recipient information through a USPS portal, use certain design features such as trackable barcodes, and submit ballot-envelope designs for postal approval. The lawsuit follows a Supreme Court decision staying an earlier injunction because the original challenge was considered premature before a final USPS rule existed; the states now seek to block and ultimately overturn the newly finalised rule.