Officials Raise Alarms Over USPS Readiness for 2024 Election Mail

State and local election officials have expressed concerns about the U.S. Postal Service's ability to deliver millions of ballots for the 2024 presidential election. Despite USPS assurances and previous settlements to improve delivery times, issues like delays, lost mail, and training deficiencies persist.

State and local election officials have sounded the alarm over the U.S. Postal Service's capacity to handle the anticipated influx of ballots for the 2024 presidential election. The concerns were detailed in a letter from the National Association of State Election Directors and other election officials, highlighting issues such as delays, lost mail, and training gaps, despite numerous meetings with USPS election staff.

According to the letter, there has been little improvement in USPS's performance, with ballots often arriving well outside the First-Class delivery window of three to five business days. In response, USPS maintains that it is committed to the secure, on-time delivery of election mail and claims that any raised issues have been promptly addressed. They advise voters to mail their ballots at least a week before their state's deadline.

The USPS inspector general's office reported that 46% of votes were cast by mail in the 2020 election, up from 21% in 2016. Measures to expedite ballot delivery are implemented two weeks before Election Day. A July report from the inspector general's office warned that some USPS changes could jeopardize timely ballot delivery and recommended improvements. A 2021 settlement between USPS and the NAACP aims to prioritize ballot delivery in future elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)