US Postal Service warns of ‘significant risk’ of late ballots for presidential election
- As many as 46 out of 50 states told that not enough time remains, meaning significant number of mail votes may not be counted
- November polls could see up to half of votes cast by mail amid coronavirus pandemic
Ahead of a presidential election that could see up to half of US voters cast their ballots by mail, the US Postal Service is warning some states that they need to provide more time for those votes to be counted.
The Postal Service has told at least five states – Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Missouri and Washington – there is “significant risk” voters will not have enough time to complete their ballots and return them on time under current state laws, according to correspondence seen by Reuters.
The Washington Post reported that the Postal Service has warned a total of 46 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The letters highlight the possibility that a meaningful number of mail votes in the November 3 presidential election might go uncounted if they are returned too late.
03:59
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take stage on US presidential campaign as Trump lashes out
“State and local election officials must understand and take into account our operational standards and recommended timelines,” Postal Service spokeswoman Martha Johnson said. She did not respond to questions about how many states in total got warning letters.