Published 17:25 IST, August 19th 2020
US Postal voting controversy explained: Know why Trump opposes mail-in ballots
GOP has been opposing postal voting because more registered Democrats have requested for postal ballots than registered Republicans for the upcoming elections.
The US Postal Service has been at the centre of a political storm ahead of the presidential elections scheduled in November 2020, with Democrats recalling the House from recess to vote on a piece of legislation which could boost its service for mail-in ballots. US President Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been vehemently opposing mail-in ballots on the basis of unproven claims of election fraud.
A large number of voters are expected to use the postal ballot in the presidential elections due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which the Trump administration has failed to contain. GOP has been opposing mail-in ballots because more registered Democrats have requested for postal ballots than registered Republicans for the upcoming elections.
Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion relief package in May which included funding for the expansion of mail-in ballots due to the virus situation across the country. However, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell refused to allow a vote on the Bill. It was followed by cost-cutting measures in Postal Service, triggering concerns of a deliberate move aimed at holding up mail-in ballots.
Top US Democrats called on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump mega-donor, to testify before Congress on August 24 on the changes that slowed down mail delivery across the country. Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused DeJoy of acting as an accomplice in the President’s campaign to “cheat in the election” with sweeping operational changes, degrading delivery standards and delaying the mail.
DeJoy's U-turn
The rising furore over alleged election sabotage plan has forced the Postal Service to suspend new policies as DeJoy said that the agency is ready to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall. He assured that retail hours at Post Offices will not change and mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain where they are.
“To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded,” DeJoy said in a statement.
Updated 17:25 IST, August 19th 2020