War Over the Post Office and Mail-In Voting

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2020
Posted on Sat Aug 15, 2020 at 06:42:31 PM EST
Tags: Voting (all tags)

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Donald Trump's latest attempt to subvert the mail-in vote in November is just another trick pony. We really don't need the post office to mail back our ballots. Friday night on CNN, Anderson Cooper interviewed the Secretary(s) of State for both Colorado and Washington, two of the five states that rely almost exclusively on mail-in voting. Each explained while mail-in voting is safe and secure, why Trump's attempt to cast doubt on the Post Office's ability to handle mail-in votes is just politicization and wrong, and what measures are in place to secure and protect your ballot. Also debunked, Trump's claim that mail-in voting may lead to fraud.

Every town and city and rural county in America has at least a town hall if not a city hall or a city administration building or a county courthouse. Every one of these places can install a ballot drop-off box in front with a blocked off parking space or two in front so people can drive up, get out of their car for 10 seconds to deposit the ballot and drive off. All but the elderly and infirm should drop their ballots off this way. [More...]

The post office will then have plenty of time to deliver the ballots.

Colorado has been voting by mail for a very long time. I never mail my ballot back because I procrastinate. There must be at least 20 places in Denver, probably more, with secure, locked ballot drop-off boxes. You get a confirmation email from the state when they receive it. You can even sign up for "track my ballot".

Donald Trump will f*ck up the Post Office like he does everything else, but you can register and get your ballot back yourself.

Don't let Donald Trump steal the election.

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War Over the Post Office and Mail-In Voting | 11 comments (11 topical)

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Drop off ballot boxes (none / 0) (#1)
by jmacWA on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 05:19:48 AM EST

are great, and easy to use. Lived in WA for a few years and used one of them that was at a local fire station. They make it easier to vote, collect the votes, and save on postage too. It is for these reasons that Trump says they are bad, it will lead to too many people voting.

We use our village drop box, but (none / 0) (#3)
by Towanda on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 12:09:34 PM EST

a lot of housebound elderly do not drive and have no one to do this.

Dems at the local level could organize doing so, expanding on driving peope to the polls to also drive ballots to the polls.

And, of course, the postal issue is not just about ballots. Dems could do better to discuss, as some are doing, delivery of medications, bills (with late delivery causing fines), and more.


: In Pennsylvania, we cannot lawfully deposit (none / 0) (#4)
by Peter G on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 01:05:31 PM EST

anyone else's ballot, even in a mailbox or dropbox, so all we can do is organize to drive voters to the drop boxes, as we might have offered to drive them to the polls.

Board of Elections (none / 0) (#2)
by MO Blue on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 09:29:11 AM EST

for your county is a good source of information and often a drop off location. In Missouri, not a bastion of liberal policies, you can either drop off your ballot or vote absentee early at their office without dealing with long waits or lines. They will also be able to tell you where any other drop off locations are near to you.

In Pennsylvania, the state Republican Party (none / 0) (#5)
by Peter G on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 01:11:05 PM EST

has sued the Commonwealth's Secretary of State, claiming that remote drop boxes are unlawful. The LWV and others (represented by ACLU) are supporting the state government in opposing that suit. But if it succeeds, the counties (at least, the relatively progressively governed ones) will rent temporary office space for satellite Board of Elections offices (as such offices are included in the law as places to deliver a ballot) to accept ballots more conveniently and safely that at the polls or at the county seats.


: Surprisingly (none / 0) (#6)
by MO Blue on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 02:36:37 PM EST

Missouri sent out applications for absentee ballots to seniors for all summer and fall elections and we have the ability to drop off ballots or vote in person at well established Board of Election offices. I'm not sure how numerous or convenient these offices are in rural (Republican) areas of the state. There are also a couple other drop off boxes in my county.
It would be ironic if Trump has made it harder for his supporters in rural areas to vote.

Pelosi (none / 0) (#7)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 05:47:57 PM EST

is asking all Reps to go to their local post office and she is calling everyone back into DC to vote on post office legislation.

This is blowing up like we knew it would (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Aug 16, 2020 at 07:17:58 PM EST

"Dems threaten Postmaster General with `arrest' if he refuses to testify: `We must use inherent contempt"

WaPo says at least six state AGs are going to court


: The only (none / 0) (#9)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Aug 17, 2020 at 05:56:47 AM EST

thing I didn't have on my 2020 bingo card regarding the post office is people actually protesting outside of DeJoy's house.

For the "record," that video (none / 0) (#10)
by Peter G on Mon Aug 17, 2020 at 01:45:16 PM EST

has to win the prize for worst lip-syncing of all time. And how stoned was the lead singer when they filmed it? Please, Mr. Postman! Please!

: You are so right (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by Jeralyn on Mon Aug 17, 2020 at 02:10:49 PM EST

I just swapped out the video, thanks Peter!