North Carolina began distributing mail-in ballots for the midterm elections on Friday, marking the start of a process complicated by ongoing litigation over President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at limiting mail voting and concerns about changes in Postal Service operations.
Despite the legal challenges, state election officials confirmed that ballots would be mailed as scheduled and expressed confidence in administering a secure election. "We believe that we are well positioned," said Sam Hayes, executive director of the State Board of Elections, during a news conference Thursday in Raleigh. Mail voting is a popular method used by about one-third of the nation's voters.
Trump has frequently criticized mail voting, a practice he himself has used, and is pushing for new restrictions. An executive order signed in March seeks to require states to submit eligible voter lists through an online portal to the Postal Service and mandates that ballot envelopes comply with new Postal Service rules, including the use of barcodes. This directive has been met with multiple lawsuits.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a procedural ruling in Trump's favor, and the administration is appealing another decision. Election officials are concerned that the public discourse surrounding the executive order and court battles is causing confusion among voters. "The biggest part of this is that it has sparked questions about what it is. ‘What does this mean? What are you guys doing? Can I not vote by mail anymore?’" said Michael Dickerson, director of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, assuring voters that mail voting remains a "safe and secure process."
Election workers in North Carolina have been preparing for the ballot distribution. Wake County's director of elections, Olivia McCall, noted that her staff has been processing request forms, coding ballots, running accuracy tests, and packaging absentee packets. Approximately 5,000 ballots are expected to be sent out in Wake County's initial mailing, with votes potentially returning quickly, especially from military and overseas voters who can utilize an online portal.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is among those challenging Trump's executive order and proposed Postal Service changes. A court filing from his office argued that implementing such significant changes so late in the election cycle would "imminently cause significant harm, confusion and disruption in North Carolina election administration."
Officials with the State Board of Elections have indicated they have taken initial steps to comply with the executive order, including having their envelopes approved by USPS. They opted not to submit voter information while legal proceedings are ongoing. Concerns have also been raised by a whistleblower who suggested the Postal Service is rushing an untested product that could lead to millions of rejected mail ballots.
Beyond the executive order, election officials are also warning voters about potential delays in ballot return due to recent changes in how the Postal Service processes mail. The shift to processing mail at distant centers rather than local post offices has been cited as a reason for a rise in rejected mail ballots, particularly in states where ballots arriving after Election Day can still be counted if postmarked by the deadline. In California's June primary, nearly 150,000 mail-in ballots were rejected, primarily for late postmarks. Wisconsin officials have also noted late ballot arrivals, prompting some clerks to send ballots out earlier.
The Postal Service has stated on its website that it is not changing its postmarking practices but acknowledges that operational adjustments may affect postmark dates. The agency suggests voters can request a manual postmark at a local post office.
Other states, including Alabama on September 9, will soon follow North Carolina in sending out mail ballots. By mid-September, all states are required to provide ballots to military and overseas voters. Experts emphasize that the window for implementing major election changes has passed, particularly with the first ballots now being mailed.