WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — A U.S. Postal Service official has raised concerns about the agency’s development of a new system for processing mail-in ballots, according to a whistleblower report released Tuesday by the office of Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

The report alleges that USPS continued work on the system despite a federal court order temporarily blocking implementation of the plan.

According to the whistleblower, the Postal Service aimed to complete the digital mail ballot system by Sept. 1. The official raised concerns about the project’s timeline, testing and verification process ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The report claims a scanning or barcode error could affect large batches of ballots and potentially delay or reject mailings. It also questions whether USPS has enough time to identify and correct technical problems before the election.

Blumenthal said the allegations could affect voters who rely on mail-in ballots. A Postal Service official declined to comment on the report.

The dispute comes amid broader legal challenges involving federal efforts to change mail voting procedures.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting and has sought changes to election procedures through executive action. His administration has called for greater federal involvement in certain aspects of mail ballot processing.

Several of those measures have faced legal challenges.

The dispute reached the Supreme Court after lower courts considered challenges to the administration’s actions. The Supreme Court allowed parts of the administration’s efforts to proceed at that stage, finding that one lawsuit had been filed before the relevant policies were implemented.

USPS later issued a formal plan related to the administration’s order.

Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts subsequently temporarily blocked the Postal Service plan, citing legal concerns surrounding the changes.

The whistleblower report alleges that USPS continued developing the system after the court order.

Mail voting is widely used in several states. In Michigan, 37% of votes were cast by mail in the 2022 election, while California sends ballots to registered voters statewide.

The legal challenges and whistleblower allegations are likely to remain under scrutiny as preparations continue for the 2026 midterm elections.