A recent audit by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has uncovered significant shortcomings in the handling of Election Mail, raising concerns about the security and reliability of mail-in voting as the 2024 general election approaches. This independent audit, initiated by the OIG in November 2023, aimed to assess the USPS’s preparedness for processing and delivering Election and Political Mail during the upcoming election. The results, however, indicate that the Postal Service has much work to do if it wants to ensure a smooth and secure election process.
The audit focused on 15 mail processing facilities and 35 delivery units across 13 states and Puerto Rico during primary elections held in February and March 2024. The findings were far from reassuring. The report highlighted three major areas where the USPS is falling short, starting with non-compliance with Election and Political Mail policies. Despite having a guidebook outlining procedures for handling such mail, the audit found that more than half of the facilities visited were not properly completing daily certifications or maintaining logs as required. This lack of adherence to established procedures not only jeopardizes the timely processing and delivery of election-related mail but also suggests a broader issue of inadequate training and understanding among postal employees.
The second area of concern identified in the audit was the presence of “operational risks” that could delay the processing and delivery of Election Mail. These risks include inconsistent coordination on election days, inadequate processes for segregating Election Mail from other types of mail, and confusion over postmarking policies. The audit revealed that in eight of the 14 facilities observed, ballots failed to reach election offices on time, with delays ranging from one to 82 ballots per facility. Such failures are alarming, given that every vote counts, and even a small number of lost or delayed ballots could impact election outcomes.
Compounding these issues is the fact that many postal workers seemed unclear about the proper procedures for postmarking ballots, a critical step in validating the timeliness of mail-in votes. The audit found that nearly half of the mail processing facilities and a significant portion of delivery units were either unaware of the correct postmarking policy or were prepared to execute it incorrectly. This level of confusion and inconsistency is unacceptable, especially in an election where the integrity of the voting process is already under intense scrutiny.
The OIG’s findings paint a troubling picture of the USPS’s readiness to handle the influx of Election Mail expected in the 2024 election. With only a few months left before Election Day, the Postal Service must address these issues urgently. Failure to do so could undermine public confidence in the mail-in voting process and potentially lead to significant delays or even the disenfranchisement of voters.
In a time when election integrity is paramount, the USPS’s apparent lack of preparedness is more than just a bureaucratic hiccup; it’s a potential threat to democracy. The clock is ticking for the Postal Service to get its house in order before the ballots start pouring in.
