According to the United States Postal Service (USPS), the agency may not deliver mail-in ballots to Pennsylvania in time for the 2020 Presidential Election.
Pennsylvania officials received a letter from Thomas Marshall, general counsel and executive vice president for the Postal Service, explaining why there may be a delay in receiving mail-in ballots.
Marshall wrote there is āsignificant riskā voters who request an absentee or mail-in ballot āwill not have sufficient time to complete and mail the completed ballot back to election officials in time for it to arrive by return deadline.ā
Officials said the announcement significantly changes the āoutlook for voting by mail in the general election.ā
A filing submitted by Pennsylvaniaās Department of State to the state Supreme Court included the letter and requested mail-in ballots be counted as long as they are received on or before the third day following the election.
The letter also stated, āThe Postal Serviceās delivery standardsā are āincompatible withā the stateās ādeadlines for requesting and casting mail-in ballots.ā
As a result, āThere is a significant risk thatā¦ ballots may be requested in a manner that is consistent with election rules and returned promptly, and yet not be returned in time to be counted.ā
The letter comes as President Donald Trump continues to critique mail-in voting and Democratsā demand for more funding for the post office.
Appearing on Fox Business on Thursday, Trump slammed Democrats for calling for $25 billion for the post office, as IJR previously reported.
He suggested if he does not strike a deal with them on funding, they ācanāt have universal mail-in voting.ā
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced plans to make changes to the Postal Service. However, House Oversight Committee ChairwomanĀ Carolyn MaloneyĀ (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill on Wednesday to prohibit the agency from making those changes, as IJR previously reported.