Whistleblower Exposes Flaws in New Mail-In Ballot System
Concerns mount over the 'Federal Ballot Mail Portal's' rushed development and 'zero-percent failure policy' ahead of critical elections.
Sarah Connor
A whistleblower report details significant potential problems with the US Postal Service's new mail-in ballot screening system.
Engineers had only three months to develop the system, a period that included a court-ordered pause.
The USPS eliminated standard and needed testing, reportedly creating a substantial risk of a 'catastrophic failure' for the system.
A mess and a s show.
Postal officials and IT specialists described the new system as a 'mess' and a 's* show,' alleging it defied court orders.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut shared the whistleblower report; his panel has received similar reports regarding the system, according to Robert Garcia.
Blumenthal has given USPS deadlines of September 4 and September 8 to answer questions and hand over records.
North Carolina is scheduled to begin sending out mail-in ballots on Friday, September 4.
State election officials expressed deep concern over the last-minute rules as states begin preparing and mailing out ballots to voters.
Dozens of election officials indicated that A last-minute scramble to upload voter lists into an online portal would constitute an unconstitutional attack on election administration.
Dozens of election officials have warned that a last-minute scramble to upload voter lists into an online portal would constitute an unconstitutional attack on election administration.
About a third of voters cast ballots by mail in 2024.
The US Postal Service operates as a nominally independent branch of the federal government.
Courts have repeatedly blocked and unblocked parts of the executive order amid ongoing lawsuits.
District Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary restraining order blocking the changes, but the administration continues to fight the case.
The Supreme Court has allowed the President's plan to proceed on procedural grounds, despite these ongoing legal challenges.