For years now, the question of election integrity has garnered countless headlines. We’ve seen numerous reports of groups and individuals involved in some form of ballot or vote-counting fraud, for example.
Democrats maintain that these examples are few and far between, and only occur during smaller state and town elections. They say the integrity of the federal election system is very much secure.
And Now, The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Is Going To Try To Make Sure It’s Even More Secure.
The biggest concern for most Americans is the mail-in ballot, which has prompted plenty of scrutiny since the 2020 presidential election. Millions of Americans still don’t believe those results are legitimate.
And in claiming this, most point toward the suspect mail-in ballot system. That’s why the USPS is stepping up in this capacity:
They’ve decided to create a brand new division, designed specifically to combat the possibility of mail-in ballot fraud. Hopefully, this will help convince voters that their ballot is safe and secure.
From NTD:
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) confirmed it has created a division that will oversee mail-in ballots in future elections.
Adrienne Marshall, executive director of the newly created Election and Government Mail Services, said that it will oversee ‘election mail strike teams’ in local communities to deal with possible problems.
Marshall added that they’re “fully committed to the secure and timely delivery of the nation’s election mail.” This could prove to be an important step forward in the argument surrounding election integrity.
In March, the Biden administration asked for $5 billion to support the Post Office’s mail-in voting operations for the next decade.
Not only will it relieve some of the strain put on local post offices (which can theoretically lead to ballot-counting issues), but it also makes ballot materials free to mail, and targets “underserved areas.”
After the 2020 election, the USPS stated that it had delivered 97.9 percent of ballots to election officials within 3 days, and 99.89 percent within 7 days.
This time, though, they want to go a step beyond just deliverability. The “election mail strike teams” will be on hand to face problems as they arise, which might allay continued citizen fears.
Currently, the Post Office is sending guidance letters to election officials in each state and territory, as they’re already beginning to prep for the 2024 presidential election.
This should also have an impact on any federal election that involves mail-in balloting of any kind. For the most part, many Americans still don’t trust the system, so moves like these are absolutely necessary.
The only question now is whether or not voters believe officials have done enough to combat potential fraud.
Some states, like Arizona, are offering cash rewards for the convictions of any individuals associated with vote-buying fraud. Initiatives like these might help restore some of that lost confidence.