A U.S Post Office location in Leawood. Photo credit Nikki Lansford.
Despite some reports of disrupted mail service in Leawood and other places across the United States, postal officials say they are committed to making sure mailed ballots in Johnson County get to voters and to the election office on time in the Nov. 8 election.
Driving the news: Mail delivery has reportedly been spotty on occasion in Leawood, with consecutive missed days followed by two deliveries in one day or late deliveries, according to a resident who reached out to the Post.
Slow delivery has also become an issue in other places, including Tennessee and Philadelphia.
Delivery delays are expected to become an ongoing problem nationwide because of the U.S. Postal Service’s cost-cutting plan, despite recent increases in postal rates.
What they’re saying: A Kansas City spokesperson for the USPS said postal workers are making a concerted effort to see that ballots get delivered on time, nonetheless.
“The U.S. Postal Service is fully committed between now and the November election to the secure and timely delivery of the nation’s election mail,” said Mark Inglett, communications specialist for the postal service who is based in Kansas City, Mo.
State of play: Employees specifically look for ballots to make sure they get to their destinations on time, said Inglett, in an emailed response to questions.
He added that the post office is not aware of any delayed ballots in the Johnson County area.
That said, Inglett acknowledged that some customers may see delays because of a lack of employee availability.
“We are utilizing available resources. We are currently in the process of recruiting, evaluating and hiring qualified candidates for vacancies in the area and regret any inconvenience to our customers at this time,” he wrote.
Another thing: Mailed ballots depend on timely delivery because of the deadlines imposed on them by Kansas law.
Election officials can’t send out ballots to those who request them until 20 days before the election – which was Oct. 19 this year.
Johnson County voters can also drop off their mail-in ballots at one of nine drop boxes run by the county election office, like the one above. File photo.
Important: To be counted, mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and also reach the county election office by a specific date.
Normally that would be the Friday following the election, but this year, however, that day falls on Veterans Day, a federal holiday.
So this year, ballots have until Monday, Nov. 14 to reach the election office in order to be counted.
A final thought: Voters can also drop off advance ballots at one of nine drop box locations around the county run by the county election office.
Roxie Hammill is a freelance journalist who reports frequently for the Post and other Kansas City area publications. You can reach her at roxieham@gmail.com.
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