Politics 4 min read By Arthur Ellington
US Postal Service sets out plan to handle millions of election ballots
The US Postal Service has outlined how it will process and deliver millions of mail-in ballots for the November 3 elections, as postal funding and delivery times become a central political dispute.
The US Postal Service has set out its operational plan for handling the millions of mail-in ballots expected to be cast in the November 3 elections, as the agency at the centre of a political row over postal funding and delivery times seeks to reassure voters that their votes will arrive in time to be counted.
The plan covers the sorting, transportation and delivery of election mail, with the service saying it will prioritise ballots and work with state and local election officials to make sure completed ballots reach counting centres before deadlines. The agency has faced intense scrutiny after cost-cutting measures introduced this year, including changes to sorting equipment and overtime, slowed deliveries in parts of the country.
Postal officials have said the changes were intended to improve efficiency and reduce losses at an organisation that has long struggled financially, but the timing has made the issue politically explosive. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to undermine the postal service ahead of an election in which a record number of voters are expected to vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. The White House has denied that the changes were designed to affect the vote.
The dispute has drawn in Congress, where lawmakers have pressed the postal service for details of its capacity to handle election mail. The House passed legislation that would provide additional funding for the agency and reverse some of the operational changes, though the measure has not become law. Postal leaders have warned that without more money the service could face serious financial problems, while insisting it can deliver election mail on time.
State election officials have been preparing for a surge in postal voting, expanding drop boxes and early voting options and adjusting deadlines where possible. Some have warned voters to return ballots early, rather than close to election day, to avoid the risk of delays. The postal service has advised voters to mail ballots at least a week before their state's deadline, and has said it will use extra processes, including special handling and postmark checks, for election mail.
The outcome matters beyond the mechanics of delivery. Courts in several states are hearing cases over mail-in ballot rules, including deadlines and witness requirements, and the postal service's performance could become evidence in those disputes. Both parties are watching the agency's performance closely, because any widespread failure to deliver ballots could affect results in close races and fuel further legal challenges after election day.
The postal service is one of the country's oldest institutions and one of its most trusted, employing hundreds of thousands of people and serving every community. Its ability to handle the election has become a test of public confidence in the voting system itself, at a time when the pandemic has already forced states to rethink how they run elections. For now, the agency says its plan is in place and its workers are ready, but the coming weeks will show whether the system can bear the weight placed on it.
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