Mail delays plaguing other states not a concern in Oregon, says election officials

Despite national concern from election officials over USPS delays potentially impacting the 2024 election, Oregon officials say the concern is much less pronounced locally because of a good working relationship with local USPS offices.

The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and the National Association of State Election Directors penned a letter to US Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy expressing concerns about mail delays and disfunctions potential impacts on the 2024 election.

The letter sent Tuesday was signed by election officials from 26 states, Oregon was not amongst them.

"We sincerely appreciate the efforts that the National Association of State Election Directors and association of secretaries of state brought forward to the US postmaster general. Oregon Association of County Clerks opted not to sign this letter. In Oregon, we have every confidence in our 20 (plus) year working relationship with the US Postal service," Rochelle Long, Klamath County Clerk and OACC Vice-President said in a written statement.

The NASS letter urged DeJoy to take their concerns over mail delays seriously.

"State and local officials need a committed partner in USPS we implore you to take immediate and tangible corrective action to address the ongoing performance issues with USPS election mail service," the letter reads in part.

Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden echoed Oregon election officials reassurances while calling for DeJoy’s resignation.

“Oregonians know voting by mail sets the gold standard for elections, and I’ll keep watchdogging Postmaster DeJoy to ensure this Donald Trump appointee does nothing to undermine our proven election system,” he said in a written statement. “I’ve heard loud and clear in town halls and other community meetings around Oregon about the DeJoy debacle with daily mail service, and there’s no way I’ll let this Trump crony take any more actions to sabotage the decades-long ability in our state and others to vote from home. If DeJoy will not have the decency to resign and end his reign of error, then I call upon the US Postal Service Board of Governors to impeach him for his incompetence and malfeasance.”

The letter cites three major areas of concern with USPS that election officials believe could have tangible impact on the 2024 election.

Inconsistent training for USPS staff: the letter claims election officials nationwide are reporting that USPS staff is not properly trained on election policies which has led to ballot being delayed or improperly processed. "In some cases this has has resulted in mis-delivery of ballots such that voters are disenfranchised," the letter reads. It goes on to state that the frequency of the errors reported indicates that staff training issues are not a "one off" problem but rather a widespread issue.
Exceptionally long delivery times: the letter notes that almost all state election officials have reported ballots that were post marked on time but received by election offices "well after election day and well outside the three to five business days USPS claims as first class delivery standards." The letter goes on to point out that in some states election officials have reported 12 to 100 ballots arriving 10 or more days after they were postmarked.
"There is not amount of proactive communication election officials can do to account for USPS’s inability to meet their own service delivery timelines."
Increase in Mail returned as undeliverable: the letter laments the volume of ballots that are being marked as undeliverable despite addresses being correct. It points out some reports of letters mailed to election offices that have been returned to voters with the election office address being marked as undeliverable. The letter notes these issues may cause a voter to be automatically marked as inactive.

https://katu.com/news/local/election-officials-nationwide-concerned-about-usps-delays-impacting-2024-election-louis-dejoy-postmaster-general

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News post in at: September 12, 2024, 3:04 am.

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