This year’s election will be different than any other.
From COVID-19 to protests to wildfires, this country has been exhausted with one thing after another, and to top it all off, we face a presidential election.
It’s an election that places particular responsibility on the U.S. Postal Service.
COVID-19 will affect voting for this presidential cycle, particularly if facilities cannot accommodate pandemic restrictions or if citizens are unable to venture outside due to health reasons. It is expected that more voters will mail in their ballots than ever before, and with the mail delays seen this summer, it’s logical to question if the Postal Service will be able to keep up.
Louis DeJoy was appointed as Postmaster General in May 2020 and began work on June 15. In early August, DeJoy announced an “organizational realignment” that would bring multiple changes to the Postal Service, including a cut to employee overtime hours and the elimination of postal-sorting machines.
These changes led to mail service delays this past summer that, of course, gained the internet’s attention. Many took to Twitter to express their discontent about late packages and letters.
Even the official USPS Twitter account got involved with a few tweeted jokes, one saying: “We weren’t going to post a joke about mail, but sometimes you just gotta send it.”
Responses varied, to say the least. Some expressed support for the post office, claiming that the delay was out of their control with all of DeJoy’s changes, but others told the USPS to “get it together” and to cut the jokes. A lot of it boils down to what people think of DeJoy and the changes he has enacted.
Along with cutting hours and limiting the use of sorting machines, DeJoy altered the upper tiers of management by removing or reassigning two dozen top postal officials. Each action is an attempt at cutting costs, given that the agency struggles to turn a profit.
Between 2007 and 2018, the post office lost $69 billion, and with the reduction of first-class and marketing mail during the pandemic, the USPS has also lost their biggest form of revenue.
The agency is enduring protocol adjustments, management changes, financial stress and COVID-19. It’s no wonder delays exist.
Like any other controversy, it’s political. Even more so with the looming November election.
Many Democratic lawmakers and officials accuse DeJoy of slowing the mail service down on purpose. DeJoy’s work and political history proves he is an active member and avid supporter of the Republican party, particularly noted in his work of securing campaign funds.
How a person is politically inclined does not seem like it would affect the capabilities of the post office. However, those appointed to the Postal Service’s board of governors are selected by the president and approved by Congress. The board then chooses a Postmaster General. It doesn’t have to be political, but it very easily could be.
DeJoy has objected to claims that he intentionally slowed mail services down, but with the importance of a presidential election, the worry from the left is understood.
Voting is at the heart of our democracy. If citizens cannot vote, then our democracy is for naught. The Postal Service must be able to provide mail-in voting.
In a tweet from August 21, the USPS said, “Despite expected increases in mail-in voting, we anticipate election mail will account for less than 2% of all mail volume from mid-September until Election Day.” That same day, the agency tweeted that if all Americans voted by mail, the 330 million ballots would only be 75% of what gets delivered in a day.
This promise and fact from the Postal Service attempts to soothe worried voters and government officials. A fair attempt, I suppose, especially in light of the president’s unclear stance.
On Sept. 12, President Donald Trump addressed the voters in North Carolina in a tweet asking them to send their ballots in early. He also encouraged them to go to polling places and vote in case their mail-in ballot was not accounted for.
This came with immense backlash.
Voting twice is illegal. As I said earlier, losing your vote or not getting the chance to vote limits democracy. It takes away the people’s voice.
On the flip side, voter fraud also limits democracy. It could accidentally give more power to certain individuals, whether they know it or not.
If someone wants to exercise their right to vote, they should have the ability to do so. They have the right to have their vote count. With the Postal Service’s delays, it is understandable that people are concerned their mail-in vote might not count. If voters go to check the status of their mail-in ballot, see that it hasn’t been accounted for and proceed to vote in-person, those people risk their vote being counted twice once the mail ballots are processed.
This could greatly sway the election’s outcome.
This could be detrimental to our democracy.
Was Trump truly encouraging U.S. citizens to commit voter fraud? Probably not. I would hope not. His tweet to the North Carolina voting population was a little confusing, and it’s not unheard of for him to make a claim and later rescind it.
However, to me, it seems that he wants to ensure the American people can vote and have their say in choosing our country’s leaders. His lack of clarity, though, could be potentially dangerous if it leads to nationwide voter fraud.
The Postal Service needs support. Instead of questioning the agency’s abilities, it might be more beneficial to provide funding or to renege on DeJoy’s changes. If Trump is that concerned about widespread fraud, he should offer help in some form. It is a government agency after all.
Extra measures like these or any added help don’t have to be permanent. They don’t have to be enacted for the remainder of the year. But if they can ease the pressure on the Postal Service, and thus ensure a legal and fair election, the country can move forward. We can transition from a tumultuous year into an unwritten one with some confidence in our democracy.
Mail-in voting is still a valid option. Some states are only providing mail-in options. In Minnesota, any registered voter can request a mail-in ballot.
If you want to ensure your vote is counted, send ballots in early. Waiting until the last minute could add to a potential backup. As long as mail is postmarked by November 3 and received by November 6, it should be valid. This three-day gap may cut it tight, but again, sending ballots in earlier is welcomed.
With all of this said, we also have to consider the results of the election being delayed. It might take an extra few days for the mail to be processed, so it may be beneficial to allow a grace period of sorts.
In the midst of COVID-19 and the agency’s changes, patience is key. The election itself does not need to be pushed back. It shouldn’t be, but we should expect to have to wait a little longer to learn the results.
It is important to have a fair and legal election rather than rushing the process. It is also important to maintain the integrity of elections and term limits. A little support and some proactive voting on our part can ensure the post office’s position in the election goes smoothly.
If we want to protect the right to vote, and thus democracy, we have to support the U.S. Postal Service.
Maddie Peters can be reached at pete9542@stthomas.edu.