Mail delivery lags behind targets as election nears
The slice of Michigan that covers Detroit, its suburbs and towns dependent on the auto industry is coveted political terrain in one of this year’s most important presidential swing states. It also has another distinction as home to one of the worst- performing U. S. Postal Service districts in the country.
In Michigan and beyond, states are seeing record- breaking interest in mail-in voting during the coronav ir us pa ndemic. However, controversia l changes at the Postal Serv ice have compounded lon g- st a nd in g deliver y delays nationw ide and sparked concerns among election officials and voters alike over the agency’s
ability to deliver this fall.
Data obtained by The Associated Press shows postal districts across the
country are missing by wide margins the agency’s own goals for ontime delivery, raising the
possibility that scores of mailed ballots could miss deadlines for reaching local election offices if voters wait too long. Missing a deadline is a key reason mail-in ballots get rejected.
Several postal districts serving urban regions in battleground states have a history of delivering mail at below the national targets and saw sharp dropoffs in performance over the summer. The message to voters is clear: Mail those ballots early.
“As soon as possible,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat.
The Postal Service, long an afterthought in the political process, has been drawn into the fray after its new leader, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, implemented a series of costcutting measures that delayed deliveries nationwide. The changes have sparked a flurry of legal challenges and caused concerns over the agency’s ability to handle the anticipated crush of election mail this year, although DeJoy has said it will be the Postal Service’s top priority.
DeJoy, a GOP megadonor with no previous experience at the Postal Service, postponed the removal of mail sorting machines and collection boxes last month. He said it was “to avoid even the appearance of impact on election mail.”
Despite pausing some policies, DeJoy left in place rules restricting when mail can leave warehouses, which several postal workers have said is a main culprit behind the delays. Federal judges have since ordered the Postal Service to halt all changes, although the agency said it is exploring its legal options.