Federal judge orders USPS must implement measures to prevent ballot processing slowdown News
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Federal judge orders USPS must implement measures to prevent ballot processing slowdown

A US federal judge Sunday ordered that the US Postal Service must implement measures to prevent a ballot processing slowdown.

In his order, Judge Emmet Sullivan mandated reforms that requires the Postal Service to perform late and extra trips, keep a record of ballot deadlines, and create reports on ballot deliveries:

It is FURTHER ORDERED that by no later than 9:00 AM on October 29, 2020, Defendants shall issue a one page notice to, or deliver a Stand-Up Talk to, all USPS personnel who may have job responsibilities related in any way to late and extra trips, stating that: “Late and extra trips will be approved to the maximum extent necessary to increase on-time mail deliveries, particularly for Election Mail. Any prior communication that is inconsistent with this should be disregarded. To be clear, late and extra trips will be approved to the same or greater degree than they were performed prior to July 2020 when doing so would increase on-time mail deliveries.” It is FURTHER ORDERED that by no later than 9:00 AM on October 29, 2020, Defendants shall distribute, in the same form and to the same individuals who were previously advised about the need to “ensure that completed ballots reach the appropriate election official by the state’s designated deadline,” a list of state-specific statutory ballot receipt deadlines, so that USPS managers and employees can implement the Election Mail guidance that Defendants have recently issued. The parties shall confer and agree on the form and substance of the list. It is FURTHER ORDERED that beginning October 28, 2020 and until further order of the Court, Defendants shall file with the Court by 10:00 AM each day: (1) updated data on the number of extra and late trips performed the preceding day, at the Nation, Area, and District level, including any available data that is specific to Election Mail, to the maximum extent feasible; (2) updated data on the percentage of on-time deliveries at the Nation, Area, and District level, including any available data that is specific to Election Mail to the maximum extent feasible; and (3) any other reports generated after the date of this Order and produced to Congress, other courts, or other litigants.

The order follows after a series of controversial litigation over mail-in ballots for the Tuesday election and another federal judge ordered the Postal Service to “make every effort” to deliver ballots on time.

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