A Recent Supreme Court Ruling Highlights the Importance of Strengthening Election Safeguards

A recent Supreme Court ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee allowing states to continue counting certain mail-in ballots received after Election Day has once again placed mail-in voting and election administration at the center of the national conversation. While the Court's decision addressed when certain ballots may be counted under federal law, it also highlights a broader question: How can we strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence throughout the election process?

At Citizens Defending Freedom, we believe one answer is found in our C.L.E.A.N. Elections Framework as part of our Make Elections Secure in States (MESS) Campaign, specifically "L — Limit Mail-In Ballots."

The framework recognizes that mail-in voting introduces additional handling stages outside supervised polling places, increasing chain-of-custody concerns and administrative complexity. Rather than treating mail voting as the default, C.L.E.A.N. recommends limiting it to voters covered under longstanding federal absentee protections—active-duty military members, Merchant Marine members, eligible family members, and U.S. citizens living overseas—who face legitimate logistical barriers to voting in person.

This conversation also comes as the United States Postal Service considers its proposed Ballot Mail for Federal Elections rule. The proposal would establish stronger standards for the preparation, tracking, verification, and documentation of federal election mail through measures such as unique tracking barcodes, standardized ballot-mail preparation requirements, verification procedures, and improved coordination between election officials and USPS—all while preserving state authority over election administration.

Recognizing the value of these reforms, Citizens Defending Freedom recently submitted a public comment supporting the proposed rule. We believe these commonsense standards represent a meaningful step toward improving transparency and accountability in the handling of federal election mail.

Now, we encourage you to do the same.

The USPS is accepting public comments on this proposal through July 2, 2026. Federal agencies are required to review and consider public comments before finalizing a proposed rule, making this an important opportunity for citizens to participate directly in the policymaking process. Information on how to contribute a public comment is provided below:

By Email: PCFederalRegister@usps.gov, Subject Line: Ballot Mail

By Mail: Director Dale Kennedy, Product Classification U.S. Postal Service 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446 Washington, DC 20260-5015

Be sure to include your full name and mailing address in the body of your email/mail and direct your message to Dale Kennedy, USPS’s Director of Product Classification.