As first reported by Breitbart, U.S. Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) sent a letter this week to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to express his grave concern over reports that service members stationed abroad are being disenfranchised by the Postal Service’s delays in delivering their ballots to election authorities.
Congressman Alford described voting as a fundamental right for all Americans and called on USPS to take urgent measures to address the issue and ensure that no service members are denied their Constitutional right to vote.
“Election integrity is a key pillar in our democracy, and any actions that undermine free and fair elections are completely unacceptable,” said Congressman Alford. “The right to vote is a fundamental right for all Americans, enshrined in the United States Constitution. It is deeply concerning that members of our Armed Services stationed abroad could potentially be denied this right due to USPS errors.”
“With Election Day fast approaching, I am concerned with how USPS plans to ensure the hundreds of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen stationed abroad can exercise their right to vote,” Congressman Alford continued. “The failure to meet the Congressionally mandated six-day delivery windows is troubling, and it poses a significant disservice to any Service Member whose vote is not counted.”
In the letter, Alford described the current situation as unacceptable and condemned USPS’s inability to fulfill their duty.
“There is no excuse for something as egregious as a failure to deliver our service members’ ballots. It is clear the USPS must take urgent measures to address this issue, and to prevent it from worsening. We cannot deny our servicemembers this Constitutional right, and it is your duty to ensure this does not continue,” Congressman Alford concluded.
Text of the letter can be found HERE or below:
Mr. Louis DeJoy
Postmaster General
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 10300
Washington, DC 20260
Dear Postmaster General DeJoy,
I am writing to express my deep concern about a report I have received that servicemembers stationed abroad were disenfranchised by the United States Postal Service (USPS) failing to deliver their ballot in a timely manner. Election integrity is a key pillar in our democracy, and any actions that undermine free and fair elections are completely unacceptable.
The right to vote is a fundamental right for all Americans, enshrined in the United States Constitution. It is deeply concerning that members of our Armed Services stationed abroad could potentially be denied this right due to USPS errors. With Election Day fast approaching, I am concerned with how USPS plans to ensure the hundreds of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen stationed abroad can exercise their right to vote.
The failure to meet the Congressionally mandated six-day delivery windows is troubling, and it poses a significant disservice to any Service Member whose vote is not counted. The current situation is unacceptable and the USPS’s inability to fulfill their duty is worrying.
I understand the USPS has attributed recent mail delays to major staffing shortages, an issue affecting various businesses nationwide. While I recognize the dedication of postal workers and mail carriers, there is no excuse for something as egregious as a failure to deliver ballots to our servicemembers. It is clear the USPS must take urgent measures to address this issue, and to prevent it from worsening. We cannot deny our servicemembers this Constitutional right, and it is your duty to ensure this does not continue.
For these reasons, I request a timely response to the following questions:
- What specific strategies are the USPS implementing to assist Service Member’s abroad in voting?
- What measures are being taken to ensure that Military members ballots are processed in a timely manner
I appreciate your attention to this matter and the hard work of USPS employees in fulfilling their duties. Thank you for your prompt consideration of this urgent matter.
I appreciate your attention to this matter and the hard work of USPS employees in fulfilling their duties. Thank you for your prompt consideration of this urgent matter.
