The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 23, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
We reported in September on concerns from election officials on whether the U.S. Postal Service could meet its mail ballot delivery obligations. The USPS issued its report in early December. How did it do?
Reasonably well, according to the Postal Service. Election officials’ biggest pre-election concern involved consolidation of sorting centers around the country adversely affecting the Postal Service’s own delivery standards.
In its report issued December 3rd, USPS management paints a picture of an election with few problems, citing a 97.73% delivery from voters to election officials within three days, 99.64% within five, and 99.88% within seven. But the Postal Service’s own new standard for local first class mail is one to three days, and seven days for mail traveling across the country. It’s not yet known how many ballots were not delivered on time and not counted. States like Kansas won’t process mail ballots arriving AFTER election day, so despite USPS reminders to return ballots early, a yet unknown number of ballots were not counted.
USPS was helped by far fewer mail-in ballots in 2024 than in 2020. Expanded early in-person voting combined with laws making mail voting harder, saw mail-in voting drop to only 5% of ballots cast in Georgia, from 26%, and to 28% in Florida, down from 44%, according to Voting Rights Lab.
USPS says better mail ballot design for automation and visibility, longer timelines by election officials, and more education of mail-in voters will improve delivery.
We have the report linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
U.S. Census Bureau – What Methods Did People Use to Vote in the 2020 Election?
American Democracy Minute – US Postal Service Slowdowns Concern State Election Officials; Will DeJoy’s Leaner USPS Deliver Ballots in Time?
U.S. Postal Service – 2024 POST-ELECTION ANALYSIS REPORT
U.S. Postal Service – SERVICE STANDARD CHANGES
Voting Rights Lab – How State Election Laws Shaped Voting Patterns in 2024
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy – Testimony Before the House Committee on Oversight and AccountabilityPew Research –Voters Broadly Positive About How Elections Were Conducted, in Sharp Contrast to 2020
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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