In the upcoming election, the U.S. Postal Service is expected to play a crucial role, though it may not be a positive one, according to state and local election officials in a letter issued on Wednesday.

The letter, sent by the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors, alerts that USPS problems could disenfranchise voters in the forthcoming election.

Directed to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the letter expresses concerns that he has not addressed the ongoing shortcomings in the USPS system. During this summer’s primary elections, local election officials observed a troubling trend regarding the postal service’s punctual delivery of mail.

With less than two months before election day, there is little time left for the postal service to resolve its ballot delivery issues. The officials urged USPS to improve its performance to ensure a smooth election process.

“State and local election officials require a reliable partner in USPS. We strongly encourage you to take immediate, effective actions to address the ongoing issues with USPS election mail service,” the letter stated.

What issues did they identify with USPS?

“Throughout the past year, election officials nationwide have raised significant concerns regarding processing facility operations, lost or delayed election mail, and inadequate training for staff, all hindering USPS’s ability to deliver election mail on time and accurately,” the letter mentioned.

They pointed out specific incidents where timely mailed ballots arrived after Election Day. Moreover, improperly addressed election mail has been returned to local officials, which can cause voters to be marked inactive, leading to disenfranchisement.

The delays in mailing first-class ballots have not met the USPS’s own standards of delivery, which specify a timeframe of three to five business days.

What is USPS’s response about the election?

USPS has issued a statement regarding the letter: “We are prepared to deliver. We successfully managed a record volume of mail-in ballots in 2020 and again in 2022, and we will do so once more in November 2024,” said Adrienne Marshall, Director of Election Mail and Government Services, in a statement to YSL News.

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, DeJoy assured that USPS is prepared to deal with the substantial volume of mail-in ballots expected for this year’s election.

Other officials express concerns about USPS ballot handling

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab has written his own letter to DeJoy recently. His letter indicates that nearly 1,000 ballots from last month’s primary election were rejected because they arrived late or lacked postmarks.

“At this point, the Pony Express would be a more effective option,” Schwab remarked on X, previously known as Twitter, last month.

Schwab noted that while some ballots do reach election officials on time, many lack postmarks, making them ineligible under Kansas law. He has advised Kansas residents to utilize local drop boxes instead of relying on the postal service.

When do absentee ballots mailing begin?

This letter arrives as Alabama’s first absentee ballots have already been mailed today.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that voters in other states will receive or have already received ballots in the coming days, with several states, including Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, dispatching their ballots more than 45 days ahead of Election Day.

These states are mailing their ballots ahead of Alabama, while states like Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming will be sending theirs in the coming days.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for YSL News. Reach him  on X @fern_cerv_.