Voting by mail? Election workers are worried about issues at the Postal Service

Adrienne Marshall, supervisor of political election mail and federal government solutions for the Post office, informed The 19th that the firm has remained in “close communication” with the National Organization of Secretaries of State, the National Association of State Political Election Directors and other election officials throughout the year. She claimed each time they have raised an issue, it has been “promptly dealt with” and will continue to be.

Amy Cohen, executive director of the National Organization of State Political election Supervisors, informed The 19th that regulations around voting by mail vary by state, so it is necessary that eligible citizens be positive. They need to request a mail-in tally early, track the ballot if possible and placed it in the mail early or be prepared to return the ballot face to face (if acceptable).

The letter was resolved to united state Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, that came under examination in 2020 for his handling of post around the last governmental election. In August, DeJoy told The Associated Press that he is “certain” in the Postal Service’s shipment of political election mail.

Some individuals who elect by mail might be disenfranchised this fall if the problems are not addressed, the authorities claimed in a letter to the head of the United States Postal Service that detailed challenges with the delivery of mail-in ballots over the past year.

Leading political election officials today appeared the alarm concerning continuous delays within America’s mail distribution system and the prospective result on mail-in ballot in the upcoming governmental election, a warning that comes as former Head of state Donald Trump remains to sow suspect about how some of those tallies will certainly be counted.

While political election authorities in the letter acknowledged some initiatives that the Postal Service will take around the election, they included: “Short-lived steps will not be sufficient to deal with the consistent concerns highlighted by election officials.”

We were successful in 2020 delivering a historical volume of mail in tallies; likewise in 2022 and will certainly do so once again in November 2024,” she stated in an email. The Postal Service stated it encourages individuals to mail back tallies at least a week prior to their state’s deadline to obtain them.

Maria Benson, senior director of interactions for the National Organization of Secretaries of State, informed The 19th that the organization is not trying to deter people from ballot by mail if their state permits it.

Throughout the Republican National Convention, the celebration repetitively broadcast a video that showed the former president motivating his fans to vote by mail. Republican politicians are also still testing just how vote-by-mail tallies are counted, especially in battlefield states like Nevada and Pennsylvania.

Now in his 3rd bid for workplace, Trump has at times seemed to change his position on mail voting. During the Republican National Convention, the celebration repetitively aired a video that showed the former head of state motivating his supporters to vote by mail. Republican politicians are additionally still challenging how vote-by-mail tallies are counted, especially in battleground states like Nevada and Pennsylvania.

In the letter dated Wednesday, election authorities claimed mail-in tallies contend times been wrongly held for remediation, significantly postponed or “otherwise poorly processed.” Political election officials “in almost every state” have obtained postmarked tallies “well after Election Day and well outside the 3 to five organization days USPS declares as the Top-notch distribution requirement.”

National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Organization of State Political election Directors authorities required the USPS to deal with efficiency concerns ahead of November’s election to insure mail-in ballot is not affected.
Darylann Elmi/ Getty Images

“We prepare to deliver. We achieved success in 2020 delivering a historic quantity of mail in ballots; also in 2022 and will certainly do so again in November 2024,” she said in an e-mail. The Post office stated it urges people to mail back ballots a minimum of a week before their state’s deadline to obtain them.

“We implore you to take prompt and substantial restorative action to address the ongoing performance concerns with USPS political election post,” officials claim in the letter, which was signed by agents for the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors– 2 companies that include state and local election officials in all 50 states, the Area of Columbia and the united state territories. “Failing to do so will take the chance of limiting voter engagement and rely on the election process.”

“Most significantly, if you have a concern about getting or returning your tally, ask your political election officials,” Cohen stated in an e-mail. “Election officials are the most reliable resource for details about just how to participate in the upcoming election.”

According to a new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll, Americans are more likely to count on that political elections in their district will be run securely compared to their count on the nation’s elections on the whole. The biggest difference was with Republicans, with 76 percent claiming they trust fund elections in their precinct and 43 percent claiming they depend on political elections in the country.

Election authorities additionally reported instances in which mail that was sent to and from voters was noted as “undeliverable” at higher-than-usual rates. The potential ripple effect, they cautioned, was voters being placed on non-active citizen rolls or obtaining their registration document canceled, and ballots not getting to citizens or being delivered to political election offices.