Boone County Clerk says absentee voting won’t be impacted by mail delays
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Absentee voting in Missouri starts on Tuesday, at a time when local congressmen are claiming there are delays in mail through the United States Postal Service.
A press release from Rep. Mark Alford (R-Raytown) shows a group of five Missouri and Kansas congressmen demanding action to amend the issue.
A letter sent to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy from Alford, Sharice Davids (D-KS), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), and Sam Graves (R-Atchison County) asks Dejoy to consider their concerns.
The letter states that within recent months, each of them have received messages to their offices regarding missing mail, delayed postal delivery and extended periods with no delivery service at all.
“It is unacceptable that these facilities have fallen and are failing to keep up with the USPS standard of service," the statement reads. "We wholeheartedly urge the leadership of the Postal Service to roll out the recommendations of the USPS Office of the Inspector General immediately to improve the service of the USPS in the Kansas City Metro area for our constituents."
According to Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon, Boone County has not received many complaints in mail being delayed. Lennon said she recently met with the local postmaster and doesn't foresee many problems with individuals having their absentee ballots submitted on time.
However, Lennon recommends people submit their ballots sooner, rather than later.
"We have such a small number of voters that are even allowed to vote by mail because they have to be out of town or have an illness or disability or have some other excuse," Lennon said. "We ask that anybody that's going to be voting by mail that as soon as they get their ballot and they make their decisions to put it back in the mail and get it to us."
The letter cites an audit conducted by the independent USPS Office of Inspector General found deficiencies within three USPS facilities. The facilities include the Hickman Mills Station in Kansas City
Missouri, the Robert Roberts Station in Kansas City, Kansas, and the Shawnee Mission Post
Office in Mission, Kansas.
The report states deficiencies were found in four out of the five areas that were reviewed.
A summary of results allege issues included clearance times-- delayed mail-- late, canceled and extra outbound trips-- and scan compliance and requests. The letter asks leadership from the USPS to consider six recommendations made by the inspector general.
Lennon said in the event the county did experience delays, they have steps in place, including a tracker on every ballot that allows them to get ahead of the problem.
"If we saw that we were only getting a small percentage of those returned back that we sent out, that would be a cause for us to go to the post office and open tickets and investigations as to why that was happening," Lennon said.
Lennon also said people wishing to track their ballots can do so by following the directions provided on a slip inside the ballot they receive.
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot in Missouri is Oct. 23. In-person no excuse absentee voting will start on Oct. 22. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 9.
