Ballot Blues: Misrouted Mail Raises Concerns Ahead of Elections

Terry Thompson's office in Cascade County, Montana, received ballots from various states, underscoring postal service challenges. Misdirected ballots have alarmed election officials across the U.S. amid rising reliance on mail-in voting. The USPS faces criticism over ballot handling, with some officials urging in-person voting due to delivery inconsistencies.

The postal service mishandling of ballots is raising alarms as elections approach. Terry Thompson, an election administrator in Cascade County, Montana, received ballots meant for other states, highlighting postal issues in processing election mail.

Election officials in states such as California, Louisiana, New Mexico, and others have reported similar incidents, with completed ballots arriving from out-of-state precincts. The USPS stated without specific tracking data, further comments on these cases are limited. The postal service claims they prioritize election mail and use daily checks to ensure mail integrity.

This has fueled existing concerns among election officials about the USPS's ability to manage the increase in mail-in voting. Some officials advocate for increased in-person voting to avoid potential postal delays impacting voter disenfranchisement. However, others like Mark Dimondstein from the Postal Workers Union emphasize that identified problems were promptly addressed during the election season.

(With inputs from agencies.)