The American Postal Workers Union launched an ad campaign Thursday to push back against efforts to scale back voting by mail. The initiative comes in response to legal action by state and federal governments over the past year to delegitimize mail-in ballots, including President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to limit mail-in voting.
‘Keep it, protect it, expand it’
The 30-second ad was launched in several states, promoting the message, “Vote-by-mail — keep it, protect it, expand it.”
The ad, funded by the American Postal Workers Union, features volunteers who describe circumstances that prevent them from attending polls on Election Day, demonstrating their need to vote by mail. Actors portray a firefighter working on-call, a mother who can’t leave her children at home and an army officer stationed overseas.
“There’s several professions that aren’t able to leave their jobs or get the time to stand in line to vote, and yet they also have a voice to be heard,” said Amy Parke, president of the Utah Postal Workers Union.
“They utilize vote-by-mail, and it’s important to them that their voice and and that their vote’s choice is not infringed upon.”
The campaign was released ahead of the upcoming primary elections in Utah and will run on cable television and social media platforms throughout the weekend.
Is mail-in voting in jeopardy for Utah voters?
Utah is one of eight states that has conducted all elections by mail, but recently passed legislation reversing the all-mail election system, making it the first state to do so.
HB300, passed in 2025, established a new vote-by-mail system that will be implemented starting in 2029. Under HB300, mail-in voting is still allowed and widespread, but requires additional hurdles.
Instead of every registered voter automatically receiving a mail-in ballot, voters will need to opt in to receive mail-in ballots and renew their request every eight years.
Voters using mail-in ballots will also be required to write in the last four digits of their Utah state driver’s license, Social Security number or state ID card on their envelope. Verification by signature will no longer be allowed.
Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah, said these changes will create “unprecedented barriers” for Utah voters, creating “blatant voter suppression.”
“Our legislature says they are not doing away with mailed ballots and yet this opt-in and opt-out method is intended to move voters away from the mail,” Biele said.
She foresees the new regulations decreasing voter participation.
“When you add unnecessary steps to the process, you inevitably decrease turnout.”
Some leaders argue that limiting the use of mail-in ballots will preserve election integrity.
“States cannot turn Election Day into Election Week, and the American people deserve better than last-minute mail-in ballot ‘discoveries’ that undermine public trust,” U.S. Sen. Mike Lee said in a post on X.
Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters he supports Trump’s call to limit mail ballots. “I think President Trump and all of us are right to be extremely cautious when it comes to mail-in voting.”
Mail-in voting: A national debate
Mail-in ballots are facing stricter scrutiny nationwide following the 2020 election, when Trump said mail-in ballots were used to cast fraudulent votes.
“ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Trump signed an executive order in March to restrict voting by mail. The order instructs the U.S. Postal Service to only send mail-in ballots to individuals who are on their state’s approved list of mail-in voters. It also adds new requirements for mail-in ballots to be considered valid, including that it be mailed in an official election mail envelope, bearing a unique and accurately placed barcode that facilitates tracking.
Several groups challenged the order, claiming that because election authority is granted to states, per the Constitution, Trump does not have authority on how votes are sent in.
The White House said election crimes are federal crimes, which gives the federal government jurisdiction.
“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,” the White House said in a press release. “To enhance election integrity via the United States Mail, additional measures are necessary.”
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols allowed Trump’s order to stand, saying that because it has yet to be implemented, it is too early to take action, according to The Associated Press.
“Plaintiffs cannot show that preliminary injunctive relief is warranted,” Nichols wrote in his opinion. No voting changes are expected during primary elections.
What is the public opinion of mail-in ballots?
Voting by mail has been used in government elections since the early 19th century, and modern data shows it is still widely used today.
Nearly 1 in 3 American voters used mail-in ballots in the 2024 general election, according to data released by States United Democracy Center. Voters age 65-plus and overseas military officers made up a significant number of mail-in voters.
Voter turnout in Utah has increased by more than 40% since mail-in ballots were introduced in 2013, according to data released by the Alliance for a Better Utah. Per the group, 96.7% of Utahns use mail ballots to cast their votes.
Nationwide, 58% of Americans support allowing voters to vote by mail, Pew Research Center reports.
Russ Franklin, president of the Salt Lake City area (Local 6) of the American Postal Workers Union, said mail-in ballots allow voters convenience and time, which helps voters make informed choices.
“When you receive your ballot in the mail a week or two weeks before the election, you have time to review the candidates and research their backgrounds and their positions that are important to you,” Franklin said. “A well-informed electorate is a better electorate for democracy.”
All 50 states still provide some form of mail-in or absentee voting. Regulations regarding how to qualify or request a mail-in ballot differ by state.