NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Election officials are raising concerns about the potential for lost or delayed election mail ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The United States Postal Service is under scrutiny, with some officials questioning whether it will be able to deliver mail-in ballots on time.
Davidson County’s Election Commission, while hopeful, is still cautious. Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts recalled issues from the past, but said the commission is optimistic for this year.
“We hope they’ve addressed some of those issues they’ve had in the past,” Roberts said.
The commission began accepting absentee ballot requests 90 days before the election, and more than 5,000 ballots have already been mailed out. Roberts noted the potential for mail delays as election day approaches.
“As more and more ballots start hitting the mail, it’s kind of like that Christmas postcard,” Roberts said. “It could start slowing things down.”
In addition to mail delays, other concerns include facility operations and training deficiencies among postal workers. The National Association of State Election Directors and local officials have expressed their worries in a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
“We on occasion have ballots that arrive after the election. We don’t know why,” Roberts said. “The post office hasn’t been able to tell us why.”
In response to these concerns, DeJoy assured officials that USPS is prepared.
“We will deploy ballot monitors and ambassadors throughout our operations beginning October 1 to reinforce and amplify our policies and procedures on the ground,” DeJoy said.
Roberts acknowledged the critical role USPS plays in ensuring a smooth election process.
“I know it has to be a huge amount of pressure on the postmaster all the way down to that local letter carrier,” he said.
Roberts also encouraged voters to act quickly once they receive their absentee ballots to avoid potential issues.
“I think I saw the post office say 2.9 days [for delivery],” Roberts said. “Some instances, it may just take a little bit longer. It has to go from your mailbox to the local post office, then to the main post office, and finally to us.”
Absentee voting is available for those who meet certain criteria, with the deadline to request an absentee ballot set for seven days before the election.
The deadline for voter registration is Oct. 7. You can learn more about voting and deadlines online.
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