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By Guy Page
Vermont Attorney General Charity R. Clark has joined a coalition of 24 Attorneys General in a letter of formal opposition to a proposed U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rule, her office announced July 2.
Clark and the others AGs say the “Ballot Mail for Federal Elections” rule would unconstitutionally interfere with state-run elections. They are calling for the immediate withdrawal, arguing it would create a “one size fits all” federal mandate that ignores the unique voting laws of states like Vermont.
The proposed rule, which stems from an Executive Order issued in March 2026, would require states to submit voter names and addresses to a new federal “Mail-In and Absentee Participation List” as a prerequisite for mail-in ballots to be delivered.
The March 30 order declares that “the Federal Government has an unavoidable duty under Article II of the Constitution of the United States to enforce Federal law, which includes preventing violations of Federal criminal law and maintaining public confidence in election outcomes. To enhance election integrity via the United States Mail, additional measures are necessary.”
Under the proposed system, the USPS would refuse to accept or deliver any ballot mail for individuals not enrolled in this federal database
.
A primary concern for Vermont officials is the risk of disenfranchising eligible voters due to the state’s flexible absentee voting deadlines.
The coalition’s letter highlights that while the USPS proposal requires enrollment lists to be finalized well in advance, Vermont law allows voters to request an absentee ballot as late as one day before an election.
The Attorneys General warn that this “quick turnaround” creates a serious risk that the USPS will erroneously screen out legitimate ballots due to unavoidable delays in processing information between state election offices and federal authorities
.
The legal challenge also emphasizes that the rule would upend significant state preparations already underway for the 2026 election cycle.
Many states have already designed and ordered ballot envelopes in reliance on existing regulations, and the proposed changes—set to take effect just months before the November general election—would render these materials unusable at a substantial financial cost to taxpayers.
Beyond administrative hurdles, the coalition argues the rule is a violation of the Constitution’s Elections Clause, which grants states the primary authority to regulate the manner of federal elections.
The letter further asserts that the rule violates the Privacy Act by creating a federal surveillance regime to track the First Amendment-protected activity of individual voters.
The Attorneys General also noted that a federal district court in Massachusetts has already enjoined the USPS from implementing this rule for the 24 plaintiff states, declaring the underlying Executive Order unconstitutional and “legally void”.
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Categories: State Government
This is so simple, Clark, as smart as she says she is can even get it. If you physically can’t make it to the ballot box, mail-in, and you sign up. You don’t, you don’t vote. Everyone else, vote in person. And if you don’t vote shut your hole, your voice is irrelevant.
So in other words, Charity, investigation fraud is illegal. Time to go back to each town controlling elections, absentee ballots as needed upon REQUEST and paper ballots counted on Election DAY !
California endorses this, therefore Vermont should . Right Madame AG ?
Years ago when Vermont adopted “same day voter registration” most of us knew it was the just the beginning of the end. Is this what she means by the unique voting laws of states like Vermont? I think she just likes to see her picture in the news.
Voting should never be effortless. It’s too consequential for that. Everything Dems do to make it easier to vote only opens the door even wider for fraud.
Ms. Clark, what’s unconstitutional is you padding the votes with deceased and undocumented voters. If you’re so certain this isn’t happening, then submit to a federal investigation.
Surprise. Surprise, Charity is on the wrong side of common sense yet again. She’s consistent. He’ll awaits.
Astonishing that about 78 million Americans STILL believe Trump won the 2020 election! And now this stream of Executive Orders/Heritage Foundation “recommendations” designed to making voting ever harder in the name of “preventing election fraud.” This regime is brillant. Incredible. No authoritarian wanna-be has it over these guys, not Putin, Erdogan, Hitler, Mussolini, Saieid, Orban…no one.
I agree that this is not a perfect proposal. I wish it were. But to assert there has been no opportunity to add your thoughts? Nope. It takes a very long time to make an amendment, lots of time to contact your reps and senators. And to go to the State House yourself…I did! But I’d rather go with an amendment to the VT constitution that ain’t perfect than to trust the Supreme Court Six to reinforce our civil liberties…that ship has sailed. They are the most radical, anti-democratic (small D) Court in history. I’m voting for Prop 4.
She say’s “Unconstitutional”. Really? I guess elections are “Free and without corruption”…because she says so? You can not question her or the SOS! Do Not Try!
Now, now let’s not be too hard on Chairity, she is only doing what her communist masters have told her to do. If so, called Republican Senator John Thune, the Senate Majority leader would put the talking filibuster in place and pass the Save Act there would be no voting by mail and this all would be a moot point. However, he is enabling the Commiecrats to steal the election again and if the Commiecrats take the senate he will become the Senate Minority Leader. Thune, like Mitch McConnell would rather rule in hell than serve in heaven. The Republicans bite their noses to spite their faces.
It would be nice if she and the SOS would spend time investigating how each and every Town in Vt. conducts business on any, and all, business during the day of elections. I must be cautious here, but I have personally observed, and experienced, serious discrepancies. The most egregious being members of only one party counting ballots. Was I asked? NO. Did I contact the SOS? No, because I knew it was a waste of my time. I will just end it here, although there is more.
Just ask the candidates for thei copy
No, it’s not unconstitutional. What’s unconstitutional is the idiot that didn’t pass the Save Act to protect United States from illegals from voting. Democrats are Domestic Terrorists! Democrats would never win a single election if they were actually legal elections. They have manipulated and cheated elections for a very long time and got away with it. President Donald Trump is ending that ridiculousness. Stop voting for these communist Democrats!