NALC files comments on Postal Service’s proposed rule affecting mail-in ballots
On June 2, the Postal Service published a proposed rule related to the agency’s handling of federal mail-in ballots. The proposed rule comes after an executive order related to mail-in ballots was released on March 31.
The proposed rule would require states to submit lists of mail-in voters and ballot barcodes to the Postal Service. Under the rule, USPS would be required to use these lists to verify who is to receive federal mail-in ballots and, under certain circumstances, refuse to deliver them.
The deadline to submit comments on the proposed rule is July 2. NALC filed comments strongly opposing the proposed rule.
NALC opposes the proposed rule for several reasons. First, it exceeds USPS’s legal authority and risks dragging USPS and its employees, who are nonpartisan public servants, into the highly charged political climate of elections. Additionally, USPS lacks the legal authority to establish a voter registry, verify ballot mail or refuse ballot mail, as proposed in the rule. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the proposed rule would improve the already secure vote-by-mail process. The proposed rule could potentially deny certain eligible voters the right to vote by mail while causing unnecessary financial burdens on both states and the Postal Service.
APWU Response to Proposal to Change Vote-By-Mail
The APWU is deeply alarmed that the United States Postal Service published a proposed rule this week to begin implementing President Trump’s March 31 Executive Order on vote-by-mail. The Executive Order is an unconstitutional attack on the millions of Americans who vote by mail and another front in an ongoing assault on voting rights in the United States of America.
The union rejects the premise that the USPS had to comply with the Executive Order. The Postal Service was created by Congress in 1971 to be independent of the White House. This Executive Order is an unwelcome throwback to a system that did not work, where political meddling drove the Post Office to the brink of crisis.
The Executive Order also ignores the fundamental purpose of the Postal Service and postal workers, which is to provide universal service to all. The Postal Service serves all Americans – regardless of party, religion, or race; it is not a tool for politicians to pick which Americans get which benefits.
Postal workers take our commitment to public service seriously. We are proud to keep America’s mail moving and to treat it with the seriousness and respect that every postal customer deserves. That is especially true of election mail, and as postal workers, we are proud to have helped hundreds of millions of Americans exercise their right to vote by casting mail-in ballots.
There is active litigation about the Executive Order and comments on the Postal Service’s proposed rule can be submitted until July 2nd. APWU and its members are engaged in all of the efforts to defend the Postal Service’s independence and protect our fellow Americans’ right to vote by mail. Check back here for more information on how to add your voice to our work.
PEN’s Thoughts Regarding Mail-in Ballots
What are they afraid of? Releasing the names and information contained on states voter rolls should be no problem and a solution to ballot fraud. I know, most democrats and left-wing media say there is no ballot fraud – but there is ballot fraud, mostly in democrat states. Even if only 10 people submit false voter information the results could be your candidate losing their campaign. Let’s check the voter rolls and demand proof of citizenship.
