The U.S. Postal Service and its effect on the upcoming November elections has been in the news recently.
On Tuesday, after days of controversy and the news that 20 states planned to sue the postal service, the postmaster general issued a statement that the postal service is ready to handle whatever volume of mail it receives in the November elections. He said in the news release that he was expanding a task force on election mail.
He suspended his recent initiatives until after the election, and stated in the news release that retail hours at the post office would not change, mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes would remain where they are, no mail processing facilities will be closed, and overtime would continue to be approved as needed. Also, they will have standby resources to meet demands.
We asked candidates about the issue last weekend.
A question-and-answer response from Dr. Barbara Bollier, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas, on the topic of the postal service and the upcoming election:
In light of the recent developments and discussions involving the postal service and mail ballots, would you have a statement on what you are doing to make sure that people can vote in the fall elections?
Dr. Bollier: It is incredibly important that Kansans are able to vote in a safe, secure way in November. People should not have to choose between their health and exercising their right to vote. I encourage Kansans who are able to request mail-in ballots and return them as quickly as possible. I also urge counties to provide postage paid return envelopes, which is the easiest and safest way to vote during this pandemic.
For those who want to vote by mail in the general election, how do you think they ought to do it? Should they drop it off at polling places instead of mailing it?
Dr. Bollier: It is a smart idea for Kansans to vote by mail in the general election. Voters may drop off their ballot at their polling place or mail it in. The important thing is filling out your ballot immediately after you receive it and sending it right back. By doing this promptly, you can ensure that your vote will be counted.
Also, do you have a position on whether Congress should allocate more money to the postal service?
Dr. Bollier: Nearly one million Kansans rely on the services of the USPS, especially those living in rural areas. Kansans need the postal service every day to get deliveries of prescription medication, newspapers, advance ballots, and even letters from our loved ones. And not only is it an essential service for folks across Kansas, but the USPS also employs nearly 100,000 veterans.
Congress must take action and provide additional emergency assistance to the USPS to keep this crucial lifeline alive for the people of Kansas. We cannot lose this critical public service that provides so much for the people of this state.
Additionally, how are the polls currently in your election race?
Dr. Bollier: While recent polls have found this race to be a statistical dead heat, I know I am uniquely positioned to win this race by putting aside partisan politics and uniting the people of Kansas behind common sense solutions.
