GoKawiil
Tech News
The United States Postal Service plans to introduce a permanent fuel surcharge on mail and packages beginning in 2027. The decision follows similar price increases by FedEx and UPS, which raised rates in response to sharply higher fuel costs tied to the war in Iran.
White House officials attempted to persuade the U.S. Postal Service to adopt a policy requiring mail-in ballots to be sent via Certified Mail, a service that involves identity verification steps for postal workers handling the mail. The proposal would have added a new layer of processing to how mail-in votes are collected and delivered.
The Supreme Court voted 7-2 to uphold a lower court injunction blocking a new Postal Service rule that would have required states to submit lists of eligible voters so USPS could verify ballot recipients. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented, while Kavanaugh and Jackson noted the rule could be legally sound but was impractical to apply so close to the 2026 elections, since mail voting had already begun in several states.
USPS is introducing a new semipostal stamp on October 6 designed to fund fentanyl awareness efforts. Unlike standard Forever stamps, semipostals charge extra beyond the postage rate, with that surcharge routed to a designated cause, which is why the new stamp books will be priced around $20.
A federal whistleblower has told Sen. Richard Blumenthal that the U.S. Postal Service's new online portal for tracking mail ballots has serious flaws that could jeopardize voting access ahead of the midterms. The disclosure also alleges USPS is continuing to build out the system in defiance of court rulings blocking parts of a Trump executive order aimed at tightening mail-voting rules. USPS says the portal, meant to let election officials share lists of mail-ballot recipients, has been developed in compliance with court orders and will soon be offered for voluntary use.