WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called for an investigation into the delays at the United States Postal Service (USPS) during the Wisconsin Spring Election that led to hundreds of Wisconsinites across the state not having their votes counted. Baldwin notes that hundreds of Wisconsinites sent their ballots before Election Day, some as early as weeks before the election, but were deprived of their right to vote because of delays by USPS. Two-thirds of Wisconsin’s local election officials across the state reported problems with the mail during the April 7th election, with some reporting election mail taking 7 to 10 days or more to reach polling locations. 

“I request that USPS OIG conduct a timely review of Spring Election mail delays in Wisconsin and identify any remaining issues that undermine the on-time delivery of returned ballots so that USPS can resolve any outstanding concerns before Wisconsin’s elections this fall,” wrote Senator Baldwin in a letter to USPS Inspector General Hull. “If the election mail delays that we saw this spring are not addressed, USPS is likely to disenfranchise an even greater number of voters during the fall elections, increasing the risk that eligible voters will cast a ballot that is not ultimately counted through no fault of their own. Ensuring timely delivery of election mail is essential to maintaining public confidence in our elections, and delays that prevent ballots from arriving on time undermine voters’ trust that our elections are fair and reliable.”

Numerous media reports and accounts from elections officials in Wisconsin have indicated that hundreds of absentee ballots from across the state that were received by the Postal Service prior to the election were not delivered until after the election’s deadline had passed—and therefore were not counted.

Baldwin’s call for an investigation comes as President Trump has attempted to curtail legal mail-in voting, both through Congress and executive action. President Trump’s executive order directs the Postal Service to create a federal mail-in voting list made up of states’ absentee voters’ information. A U.S. District Judge blocked the President’s executive order limiting Americans’ use of mail-in voting, but the Trump Administration is expected to appeal the ruling. 

Following this unconstitutional directive, USPS proposed a rule that would ultimately allow the Postal Service to determine whether millions of Americans can receive and cast ballots through the mail. Baldwin has spoken out in strong opposition and demanded that the USPS abandon this rule. In a U.S. Senate Committee hearing, Postmaster General David Steiner confirmed that if the rule is finalized, the Postal Service would refuse to deliver any mail-in ballots from states that did not comply with this new standard. 

Senator Baldwin has repeatedly called on the USPS to address the mail delays Wisconsinites are experiencing. In April, she demanded answers from Postmaster General David Steiner regarding long-term mail delays and staffing shortages at post offices across Wisconsin that are impacting local businesses, newspapers, and Wisconsin families who rely on USPS for prescriptions, bills, voting, and more.

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Inspector General Hull:

I am writing to request an investigation into the processes and procedures of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) leading up to the Wisconsin Spring Election held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Numerous media reports and accounts from elections officials in Wisconsin have indicated that hundreds of absentee ballots from across the state that were mailed prior to the election were not delivered until after the election’s deadline had passed—and therefore were not counted. In Wisconsin, absentee ballots must be received by a polling location by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, meaning that hundreds of my constituents voted on time but were deprived of their right to vote in the Spring Election because of delays by USPS. Members of the military face unique challenges in voting when election mail is delayed because they are more likely to rely on the Postal Service to mail their ballot. This is unacceptable and appears to be the result of decisions and actions by the Postal Service that are inconsistent with normal operations and threaten the ability of Wisconsinites to exercise their right to vote. It warrants an investigation by the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG).

In May, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) sent a letter to the USPS Postmaster General expressing grave concerns about the performance of election mail for Wisconsin’s Spring Election. The Commission is a bipartisan body that administers elections across Wisconsin and assists election clerks in all 72 counties. WEC conducted a survey of Wisconsin’s local election officials and found that two-thirds reported problems with the mail, and more than half reported receiving complaints and concerns about the Postal Service from voters. One in four clerks reported receiving more late ballots than is typical for an election—with some reporting election mail taking 7 to 10 days or more to reach polling locations. I have attached the Commission’s letter to the Postmaster General, as well as a memorandum prepared by WEC, for your review.

I request that USPS OIG conduct a timely review of Spring Election mail delays in Wisconsin and identify any remaining issues that undermine the on-time delivery of returned ballots so that USPS can resolve any outstanding concerns before Wisconsin’s elections this fall. If the election mail delays that we saw this spring are not addressed, USPS is likely to disenfranchise an even greater number of voters during the fall elections, increasing the risk that eligible voters will cast a ballot that is not ultimately counted through no fault of their own. Ensuring timely delivery of election mail is essential to maintaining public confidence in our elections, and delays that prevent ballots from arriving on time undermine voters’ trust that our elections are fair and reliable.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

An online version of this release is available here.