Virginia election officials express concern about timely delivery of mail-in ballots

[PunkinPi]

RICHMOND, Va. -- Election officials across the country, including Virginia, raised concerns with the U.S. Postal Service about the timely delivery of mail-in ballots ahead of the November election in a letter sent to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy earlier this month.

Virginia's Commissioner of Elections, Susan Beals, expressed her concern to lawmakers during a recent hearing at the Virginia State Capitol. Local registrars were having issues before last November's election, Beals said.

"The types of things that we're seeing are people who have lived in an address for a very long time, all of a sudden their address is being marked as undeliverable and their ballot or their mail is not reaching them, it's being sent back to the elections office," Beals said. "We also have heard stories of mail sitting in processing centers for an extensive amount of time."

...

Beals remains hopeful that these measures will help, but she urges voters to be extra cautious this year. She advises voters to track their ballots after mailing them or consider dropping them off in person rather than relying on the mail.

Source: https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/virginia-election-officials-express-concern-sept-20-2024

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If you are voting by mail, please drop your ballots off in person.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I'm driving my ballot to the County Board of Elections,

registering my ballot, and signing the book.

I'm not taking anything for granted.

[jimfields33]

2. Or go early vote. I'm sure voters can in the next 40 days.

They make voting pretty accessible with the very early timetable.

[PunkinPi]

3. Yes, of course early voting is also an option.

However some folks, like my mom (88 y/o) with dementia and unable to get around on her own, can't physically get out to do that and the only other option is VBM, so I will hand deliver her ballot, as I will my own.

[jimfields33]

4. That sounds perfect.

[underpants]

5. Mail service around Richmond is so bad it's killing chickens

This farmer has a dead chicken problem. He blames a Virginia post office: 'It's pretty unfortunate'

At least twice, when he went to pick them up, he heard nothing.

"Two times, we've had 90-90%+ mortality. And then several other instances, three or four separate times, we've had mortality that's definitely higher than we would expect normally, which is 10-20%, which is still a problem, and sort of indicates some potential mishandling because it's so atypical," he said.

The business changed hatcheries to hone in on the issue. But both the folks at Pamplin Poultry, and the hatcheries they've been in communication with, believe the problem may stem from the Sandston Regional Processing and Distribution Center near Richmond, Virginia.


https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chickens-postal-problems-sept-17-2024

[Best_man23]

6. Can also vouch for how bad the USPS is here in Central/Northern Virginia

Mrs Best has a small business and will only use USPS for very small orders (talking 1 item orders).

Everything else goes UPS. It sucks because before DeJoy effed up the Postal Service, USPS was an efficient way to send packages for her business.

Would advise anyone who requested a vote by mail ballot to go to a poll and vote early if they haven't received their mail ballot by October 15th. All vote by mail ballots once completed should be hand carried and delivered to the registrar's office.

[underpants]

7. Yep. I always vote at the registrars office

Oh I can imagine how it hurts small businesses from outgoing to receiving payments for those who still receive checks.

I pay the bills where I work. Mostly utilities and some vendors who don’t take credit card payments. I have to predate payment by a week and I’m getting bills from in town sometimes 9 or 10 days before their due. Ridiculous.

[drmeow]

8. I haven't mailed my ballot

since DeJoy was installed!