A group of 37 Democratic senators on Wednesday urged the U.S. Postal Service not to implement an executive order issued last month by President Trump aimed at limiting mail-in voting.
In a letter to the Postal Service’s Board of Governors, the senators said Mr. Trump’s directive illegally transforms the Post Office into “an election administration agency with the power to determine who can vote by mail and to establish ballot specifications.
“This directive will have a chilling effect on the eligibility of American voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote by imposing unnecessary barriers and would corrupt the independent mission of the Postal Service to determine who can vote by mail.”
The senators added that Mr. Trump’s order gives the Postal Service power to “disenfranchise voters” because it would have the final decision over whether to transmit a voter’s absentee ballot to election officials.
The Postal Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Senators who signed the letter include Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Gary Peters of Michigan and ranking member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee Alex Padilla of California.
Mr. Trump signed the executive order directing Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to create an approved list of absentee voters. The Postal Service would be directed to send mail-in ballots only to voters on that list.
It also directs the Justice Department to investigate anyone wrongfully distributing mail-in ballots and threatens to withhold federal funds to states that don’t comply with the order.
Mr. Trump said the order is necessary to combat what he claims is voter fraud. He says his 2020 election defeat was the result of widespread cheating and has called for tighter restrictions on absentee ballots.
The Justice Department and other investigative authorities found no evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
“The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible, what’s gone on. It’s very clearly covered. … I think this will help a lot with elections,” Mr. Trump said.
Earlier this month, Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging Mr. Trump’s order. They have been joined in the lawsuit by voting rights advocates. The lawsuit raises many of the same issues the Democratic senators outlined in their letter.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump pushed out Postmaster General Louis DeJoy last month. That spot was filled by David Steiner, who said the Postal Service could run out of money by next year.
The president has also nominated four candidates to serve on the U.S. Postal Board of Governors.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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