During a heated congressional hearing on Thursday, lawmakers voiced their concerns regarding the U.S. Postal Service’s preparedness for handling a surge of mail-in ballots for the upcoming November election. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee to assure them that the Postal Service is fully equipped to handle the influx of mail ballots and ensure that nearly 100% of them will be delivered promptly for counting. DeJoy has been refuting claims made by state and local election officials that the Postal Service has not adequately resolved issues leading to late or unpostmarked mail ballots.
However, despite DeJoy’s reassurances, members of the subcommittee criticized a broader, long-term plan aimed at streamlining the mail delivery system to be more efficient and cost-effective through consolidating mail processing centers. They expressed concerns that this plan could potentially slow down mail delivery, particularly in rural areas. DeJoy, on the other hand, dismissed these concerns and maintained that the plan would not impact the handling of the anticipated mail-in ballots for the November 5th election.
DeJoy reiterated that the larger restructuring plans of the Postal Service would be put on hold leading up to the November election, assuring that handling potentially tens of millions of mail-in ballots remains a top priority. Subcommittee Chair David Joyce, a Republican from Ohio, emphasized the broader issues surrounding mail delivery that are on constituents’ minds as the presidential election draws near. “Many of our constituents have expressed concerns about the Postal Service’s ability to deliver election ballots securely and on time,” Joyce stated, underscoring the critical importance of the Postal Service executing its responsibilities accurately.
DeJoy informed lawmakers that the Postal Service’s extensive workforce of 650,000 employees will diligently process an estimated 300 million pieces of mail to intercept any stray ballots and ensure their timely delivery. He highlighted that the Postal Service has enhanced its training procedures to handle the surge in mail-in ballots efficiently. “We’re doing very well at this — just not perfect,” DeJoy acknowledged, recognizing the gravity of the task at hand.