The City Council voiced support for mail-in voting as the United States Postal Service (USPS) imposed additional requirements on vote-by-mail systems ahead of the midterms.

“Mail-in voting is an important part of making our elections accessible to all of Boston’s residents, especially our seniors, people with disabilities, working families, students, and anyone else who may have difficulty voting in person,” said Council President Liz Breadon.

The new rule would require states to obtain federal approval for ballot and return-envelope designs and to enter voter information into a new USPS portal that is not currently operational, among other provisions.

The rule stems from a March 31 executive order by President Donald Trump directing the USPS to adopt new regulations that would prohibit the transmission of mail ballots to voters not on a USPS-controlled list. It was blocked by a court order issued by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and a coalition of 25 other states.

“This order protects our ability to effectively deliver mail ballots to all residents relying on them to make their voices heard in the November election. Voters should continue to vote-by-mail as usual and know that this system is safe and secure,” said AG Campbell. “Neither the President nor USPS has the authority to upend our election laws, and we’ll continue pushing back against this unlawful rule and defending the integrity of mail voting.”

Additionally, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) placed a preliminary injunction on Trump’s order, ruling that the USPS cannot withhold mail ballots from voters.

Voting has been a contentious topic for the council. In late August, Councilor Ed Flynn sought to limit early voting and extend state receivership of local elections into 2028, following three incorrect ballots being distributed at the Condon Community Center in South Boston. During this meeting, Flynn requested information on how many voters pay property tax, what criteria distinguish “active” and “inactive” voters, and how many people arrived as the latter. The council voted down his request.

Despite his previous comments, Flynn voiced support for the proposal, acknowledging the importance of voting by mail for persons with disabilities and military personnel serving overseas, speaking to his own service in Bahrain.

“Mail-in ballots are critical for people who have a difficult time, or an impossible time, to get to the actual voting booth,” he said.

Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata called the Trump order an unlawful action to dismantle democracy piece by piece.

“After [Trump’s] administration is done, we’re going to have to put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but until then we have to stay vigilant,” she said. “This is one small action we can do to affirm every American’s sacred right to vote.”

She called for it to be easier for people to cast their ballots, speaking specifically of second- and third-shift workers throughout her district who cannot make it to the polls on time.

Co-Sponsor and Councilor At-Large Julia Mejia called the USPS’s actions an attack on democracy that would disenfranchise voters. Having won her 2019 election by a single vote, she said mail-in ballots should remain a legal way to cast your ballot.

Co-sponsor and fellow At-Large Ruthezee Louijeune added that Boston should do everything it can to expand access to the ballot and enfranchise as many voters as possible.

“Expanding access to all forms of voting is important, especially now when you have a federal government and administration that seems just so focused on disenfranchising folks,” she said. “We need to make sure at the local level we are doing everything we can not to adopt the ways of what’s happening at the federal level, to push back, and make sure we are expanding the right to vote and the ability of regular people to access it.”

The Council passed this resolution unanimously