USPS Audit Finds Mishandled Ballots in Primaries, Raising November Concerns

Politics8 sourcesSep 10, 2026

SplitFactual rigor 60/100

The Story

An audit from the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General found that some USPS facilities failed to properly handle ballots during this year’s primary elections.

The audit, dated September 4, identified a lack of training for post office staff on ballot handling, deficiencies in tracking, and errors leading to delays. These issues risked ballots having incorrect postmarks or arriving late to election officials, potentially leading to their rejection. The audit noted that most facilities they visited generally adhered to Postal Service’s election-related policies and procedures and that nearly 99% of ballots reached election officials in a timely manner.

However, it concluded that instances of non-compliance were low relative to overall volume, the presence of similar procedural gaps across multiple facilities indicates a need for improved understanding and increased enforcement of Postal Service policies among its employees. The number of ballots rejected for late postmarks soared in the vote-by-mail states of Washington and Oregon after recent changes in USPS operations.

Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read stated, "More Oregonians had their voices go unheard just because their ballots couldn't make it through the mail in time. That is unacceptable." The findings come as the Supreme Court weighs whether to allow the Postal Service to move ahead with new rules that would allow the agency to regulate mail voting.

These rules stem from a March executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order requires states to give USPS a list of all voters eligible to receive a ballot in the mail and requires USPS to use those lists to determine which ballots get sent to voters. California and nearly two dozen other states warned the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday that allowing Trump's new rules for mail ballots would cause chaos and could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.

A group of young voters crashed a meeting of the United States Postal Service Board of Governors on Wednesday, demanding they not carry out Trump's executive order. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to allow the USPS to implement the new mail ballot rules is pending.

What they agree on

An audit by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General found that some USPS facilities mishandled ballots during this year’s primary elections.
The audit identified issues such as a lack of staff training, deficiencies in ballot tracking, and errors causing delays.
These failures increased the risk of ballots having incorrect postmarks or arriving late, potentially leading to rejection.
The number of ballots rejected for late postmarks surged in Washington and Oregon after recent USPS operational changes.
The findings come as the Supreme Court is considering new USPS rules for mail voting, based on a March executive order from President Donald Trump.

Where they split

ProPublica and Just The News focus on the details of the audit findings and the implications for the agency's ability to meet demands for the November election.
The Los Angeles Times and SCOTUSblog emphasize the warnings from California and other states to the Supreme Court about potential "chaos" and disenfranchisement if new USPS mail ballot rules are implemented.
Common Dreams highlights the protest by young voters at a USPS Board of Governors meeting, framing it as a demand to reject Trump's attack on voting.
PBS NewsHour specifically details the surge in discounted ballots for late postmarks in Washington and Oregon, attributing it to Postal Service changes.