In the swell of the tens of millions of voters who have already voted, USPS suggests to no longer send in ballots through the mail.
Yesterday, Los Angeles Times reporter Laura Nelson tweeted yesterday that “the USPS has said that ballots mailed back after today are not guaranteed to arrive by Election Day. In some states, ballots that arrive after November 3 won’t be counted.”
PSA: The @USPS has said that ballots mailed back after today are not guaranteed to arrive by Election Day. In some states, ballots that arrive after Nov. 3 won't be counted.
So mail yours today — or hand-deliver it to your election office, or use an official ballot drop box. 🗳️
— Laura J. Nelson 🦅 (@laura_nelson) October 27, 2020
Democracy guaranteed
Slipping your ballot in the mailbox is definitely the easiest route, but finding an official drop box only requires a little more effort. In addition, it will give you peace of mind that your vote will definitely be counted! And if you live in the same place as your county’s election office, stopping by with your ballot could be just as easy.
To locate an official drop box, head to your county’s voter registrar office website or search through your voter guide that also came in the mail. You can also call the voter registrar’s office to confirm the authorization of a drop box, given that counties across California had unofficial drop boxes placed by the state’s Republican Party (these are technically legal, but do not ensure the same kind of safety as the official drop boxes).
There has been a big push to vote-by-mail across the country out of precaution to keep citizens safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, you are still allowed to vote in-person come November 3. Some states have also started early in-person voting too. Just be sure to give yourself ample time!
Expectations set in Wisconsin
The public service announcement by Nelson comes the same week the Supreme Court declined to extend Wisconsin’s ballot deadline. In a 5-3 vote, the court confirmed that mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on November 3. It is not enough to have it postmarked on that day. Justice Neil Gorsuch’s concurring opinion noted the variety of other voting options available to Wisconsin voters, like that early in-person voting is already available. Justice Elena Kagan’s dissent noted the option to vote-by-mail is essential because “Wisconsin is one of the hottest of all COVID hotspots in the nation.”
As of today, 73.3 million Americans have voted.
