General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCalifornia rejected 100,000 ballots postmarked too late, and Trump wants it to be worse in November
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1964262Donald Trump is doing everything he can to kneecap the U.S. Postal Service, and the American Postal Workers Union wants to be sure everyone knows how high the stakes are. The Postal Service is not just responsible for prescriptions and letters from grandparents during a pandemic and basically every damn thing people in rural areas need shipped to them; American democracy itself is at stake.
With coronavirus likely to still be a major concern in many states come Novemberthanks, Trump!more people than ever will be voting by mail. But in California, where voting by mail is already an established practice, more than 100,000 ballots in the March primary were rejected because they werent postmarked in time. We are very concerned, and we want the public to be aware, APWU President Mark Dimondstein warned, pointing to the possibility of bigger problems in November.
In Virginia, as many as 5% of ballots were rejected because they were postmarked too late. The Postal Service needs the resources to process these ballots quickly enough to get them counted, but Trumpwho has made his fear and loathing of mail voting more than clearwants the opposite.
Reports are spreading that Trumps new postmaster general is issuing direct orders that would slow down the mail, while in at least one state, postal workers say their state postmaster is going even further to create delays. This all comes against a backdrop of Trump saying things like The Postal Service is a joke and making clear that he thinks voting by mail would make him lose in November.
*snip*
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)ProudMNDemocrat
(16,878 posts)No excuses.
Get this message all over the Internet via Social Media. Facebook, Letters to your local papers, talking with people, etc.
democrattotheend
(11,607 posts)With the postal service overwhelmed by the increase in mail ballots and probably the overall increase in mail/packages in light of the pandemic, plus Trump installing a puppet to oversee the postal service, I feel more confident voting in person. When I voted in the primary in June they had good safety protocols in place. Everyone was wearing masks, they had sanitizer everywhere, and they gave each voter disposable gloves to put on for using the touch pad sign-in. It was also fairly empty when I went. I anticipate there will be a bigger crowd in November, but I'm lucky enough to live in a state with polls open for 15 hours on election day, so it shouldn't be that bad. I think there is also an option to go to the county HQ before election day and get a ballot, which in 2016 I was given the option to either fill out on the spot or take home and mail.
I recommend that those who feel comfortable doing so vote in person, given the risk of absentee ballots not arriving or getting postmarked/returned in time.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)with help from democratic poll watchers.
Lochloosa
(16,083 posts)I get mine in Florida well ahead of the actual election date.
Unless you just don't know who you are voting for.
democrattotheend
(11,607 posts)If something happens and one of the candidates changes for whatever reason, early voters are SOL. In 2002, Minnesota law was incredibly unfair - early votes for Norm Coleman against Paul Wellstone still counted for Coleman, but early votes for Wellstone didn't count for Mondale. This varies depending on the state, but I'd be hesitant to cast my ballot a month early in case g-d forbid something happens, especially with a raging pandemic and a nominee who's close to 80 years old.
dsc
(52,172 posts)You vote for electors
democrattotheend
(11,607 posts)Although I think different states have different laws about the effect of a candidate change, even with electors. I don't think every state lists the names of the electors on the ballot. Also, down-ballot candidates don't have electors.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)The Vice President of the winner on Nov 3 becomes President either immediately (in Pences case) or on Jan 20, 2020.
lostnfound
(16,200 posts)Intentionally. So not postmarked in time may have nothing to do with when the ballot was dropped in the mail.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)in ballots in early enough to check on-line that it was received/counted.
SlogginThroughIt
(1,977 posts)I think it might be a lot slower than that judging by the things I have read.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)overtime if they can leave a pallet of mail until the next day. If thats what they are doing, I have no problem with it.
lostnfound
(16,200 posts)The same way they shortchange polling places.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)its hard to shortchange polling places, unless we let them.
lostnfound
(16,200 posts)Postal Service memos detail difficult changes, including slower mail delivery
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/14/postal-service-trump-dejoy-delay-mail/
This is not an accident. The trump administration likes to break stuff on purpose.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)a large batch of mail comes in late. Im OK with that.
People need to request their ballot early, return it early or preferably drop it off, check to see if it was received, stay on top of it. No excuse for not voting in the 34 states that allow anyone to vote by mail.
lostnfound
(16,200 posts)Interview today with a postal manager on msnbc discussed how people taking time off for COVID, combined with higher than normal volume, is driving the need for overtime.
That isnt likely to change before November.
This is a new strategy, not an accident.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)them more efficient.
Its not an election conspiracy. Just vote and encourage others to do so, without a lot of its rigged, so stay at home.
Order ballot early, drop it off or mail it back early, check to make sure it was received.
lostnfound
(16,200 posts)Postal employees are complaining about the new leadership.
This will be ONE MORE WAY of disenfranchising people.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)In Oregon, we go by the clock, not the postmark. If your ballot is at the County elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, it counts. If it's in one of the widely available ballot depots, it counts. If it's not in either of those places by 8 p.m. on Election Day, it doesn't count.
In the two weeks leading up to Election Day, every local media outlet gives the public a countdown of when it's still "safe" to mail your postage-paid ballot (Friday before the Tuesday). After that, voters are advised to drop off their ballot at the elections office or a ballot depot. If you insist on in-person voting, there are some polling places open on Election Day, but after a couple of decades at it in Oregon, most voters know the routine.
I think the clock deadline instead of the postmark deadline is better, but that may be just my home-town prejudice. A hard time-dependent deadline just makes more sense to me.
TeamPooka
(24,292 posts)Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)I'm pretty sure you can do that.
uponit7771
(90,371 posts)... order to lean the election his way.
Mz Pip
(27,460 posts)Dont wait until the last minute to mail it in.
Retrograde
(10,181 posts)I typically get mine 3-4 days after it's mailed. Since we like to stick as many issues as possible on it, the ballots can be quite lengthy, and it typically takes me a week to get through the pros and cons on all the propositions. But that still leaves plenty of time to send it back - or to take it to one of the many drop-box locations throughout the county.
I like to give my ballot at least 10 days to find its way back - and I check the registrar's web site every day to confirm that they've received it!
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)I truly dont understand why people do that.
Ms. Toad
(34,126 posts)If it is the postmark that matters, all you have to do is to walk into the postoffice and get your ballot postmarked. Any slow-down in delivery will have absolutely no impact on the postmark date.
Since the article focuses on the late postmark (completely under the voter's control), the rest of it talking about a delay between postmark and delivery) is completely irrelevant.