Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Demands Answers on Armed Guards Trump Admin Has Reportedly Deployed to Ballot Drop Off Facilities As Colorado Begins Mail-In-Voting

As Colorado begins mailing ballots for the November election, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) is demanding answers from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) regarding reported deployments of armed and unarmed guards at Colorado postal facilities.The deployments follow repeated Trump administration efforts to restrict mail voting, sow confusion, and undermine confidence in our elections-raising urgent concerns about whether voters will face intimidation simply for casting a ballot. In the 2024 general election, more than 92% of Colorado voters cast their ballots by mail-making reliable delivery and intimidation-free access essential for the state to conduct this and future elections.

"Coloradans should be able to cast their ballots without fear or intimidation. Deploying armed guards at postal facilities just as voting begins demands an explanation and urgent action," said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. "We need clear answers about why these guards are here, what authority they have, and how voters and election mail will be protected. Coloradans deserve confidence that their ballots will be delivered and their voices heard. Voter intimidation is an attack on our democracy, and here in Colorado, we will fight to ensure every vote is counted."

Armed guards have reportedly been deployed at postal facilities even though USPIS says no credible security or operational threat prompted the increased presence. A memo distributed to the American Postal Workers Union says guards will monitor entrances and parking lots, verify IDs, and report purportedly suspicious activity at public Post Offices and restricted mail-processing plants. USPIS calls this a longstanding security plan, but has not explained why these deployments are happening now, identified the affected facilities, or detailed safeguards to prevent voter intimidation and interference with election mail.

In the letter to Chief Postal Inspector Barksdale, Pettersen writes, "Postal workers have a crucial responsibility to deliver election mail safely and on time. We support appropriate measures designed to protect them and their ability to carry out this responsibility. At the same time, the presence of armed guards at facilities where voters may deposit ballots runs the real risk of making voters feel intimidated. Federal law prohibits voter intimidation, which is defined as the use of threats, coercion, or attempts to intimidate for the purpose of interfering with the right of another person to vote or to vote for the person of their choosing. Voters should feel assured that they can send their ballots without being questioned, monitored, or deterred by armed guards."

Congresswoman Pettersen demands that USPIS disclose:

• Who authorized the deployments,

• Which Colorado facilities are affected, and

• Whether guards can demand identification, restrict public access, inspect ballots, or influence whether election mail is accepted and delivered.

• She also asks whether the White House, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Homeland Security had any role in the decision.

Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen has consistently defended Coloradans' access to secure, accessible elections. She introduced an amendment to protect eligible voters from disenfranchisement under the SAVE Act and opposed a Republican budget resolution that included $10 billion for election grants tied to SAVE America Act voter-ID requirements. Building on her work in the state legislature to strengthen Colorado's mail-ballot system, she has also pressed USPS to ensure timely ballot delivery, particularly for rural communities, and pushed back against federal efforts to restrict mail voting.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

Dear Chief Postal Inspector Barksdale,

We write in response to recent reporting that the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has deployed armed and unarmed guards to postal facilities in Colorado and across the country just as millions of Americans are preparing to cast their ballots by mail ahead of the 2026 General Midterm Elections.

In a memo distributed to the American Postal Workers Union, the USPIS has indicated that the guards will monitor entrances and parking areas, verify IDs, and observe and report purportedly suspicious activity in and around key postal facilities, including both Post Offices - which are open to the public - and US Postal Service processing plants - which are not open to the public. These deployments come despite the agency's repeated assurances that no credible security or operational threat has necessitated the heightened presence, with USPIS characterizing this initiative as part of a longstanding, multiyear security plan. Yet the agency has provided little public information for the timing of this deployment, failed to identify which facilities will be affected, and offered no detail regarding the safeguards that will be implemented to ensure that the presence of law enforcement personnel does not disrupt, intimidate, or otherwise interfere with postal workers, election officials, or votes during a critical period of the election cycle.

Postal workers have a crucial responsibility to deliver election mail safely and on time. We support appropriate measures designed to protect them and their ability to carry out this responsibility. At the same time, the presence of armed guards at facilities where voters may deposit ballots runs the real risk of making voters feel intimidated. Federal law prohibits voter intimidation, which is defined as the use of threats, coercion, or attempts to intimidate for the purpose of interfering with the right of another person to vote or to vote for the person of their choosing. Voters should feel assured that they can send their ballots without being questioned, monitored, or deterred by armed guards.

This issue is particularly poignant for Colorado, where over 90% of voters cast their ballots by mail. Colorado's 2024 General Election Fact Sheet shows that every audit demonstrated a 97% rate of statistical certainty that voting tabulation equipment worked correctly, demonstrating the strength and soundness of Colorado's election security system which has multiple layers of physical and network security measures designed to prevent unauthorized access and ensure accurate vote counts. Leading up to the 2026 General Midterm Election, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has disseminated best practices for voting by mail, which includes guidance that if and when feasible, voters should deliver their mail-in ballot to a postal facility or USPS retail facility to receive same-day stamping. The presence of armed and unarmed guards already deployed at postal facilities is not a hypothetical concern; it is a reality that voters and postal workers are confronting right now. Deploying armed and unarmed personnel at key mail-processing and ballot-return locations during an election, without a clear and compelling public justification, risks intimidating voters, discouraging ballot return, and eroding public confidence in both the Postal Service and the integrity of the electoral process.

As such, we request answers to the following questions to help us understand the circumstances surrounding this deployment and its potential impact on voter access:

1. When was the decision to deploy additional guards made, who approved it, and what prompted the deployment at this time?

2. How many armed and unarmed guards have been deployed nationwide and in Colorado? At which facilities, and for what anticipated duration?

3. What are the guards' duties and limits of authority? May they ask members of the public for identification, inspect mail or ballots, direct postal employees, restrict access to facilities, or interact with election officials?

4. What steps has USPIS taken to consult postal workers, their unions, state and local election officials, and USPS election mail personnel about the deployment and its potential effect on ballot processing?

5. Has USPIS received any request, direction, or input concerning this deployment from the White House, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or any other federal agency?

6. Will these guards have any role or authority in determining whether election mail is accepted, processed, or delivered?

7. What specific steps has USPIS taken to ensure that the presence and conduct of these guards do not intimidate voters or discourage them from mailing their ballots?

Coloradans deserve certainty that every eligible voter can return a ballot free from intimidation, disruption, or interference, and that every piece of election mail will be handled and delivered securely and on time. Postal workers, election officials, and voters alike are entitled to clear assurances regarding the scope, purpose, and conduct of these deployments of armed and unarmed guards. In light of the urgency and significance of these concerns, we request a prompt and comprehensive response no later than October 16th, 2026.

Sincerely,

Brittany Pettersen
Member of Congress