Holding USPS Accountable

Straight Talk with Sam

Americans hold dear the sacred right to vote. We should exercise that right every time we have the chance, expecting our vote to count.

Missourians seeking to vote absentee can request a ballot by mail, provided they meet the criteria and provide proper identification. Now, I'm a firm believer in voting in person on Election Day. However, there are folks who simply can't do that, whether they are disabled, serving our country, or ill. They should be able to vote, confident that their ballot will arrive to the County Clerk on time.

One problem-the mail showed up late. Some County Clerks in Northeast Missouri were shocked to discover absentee ballots arriving in the mail after the election was over. The ballots were mailed with plenty of time to get there. Yet, the US Postal Service couldn't get them where they needed to go on time, and they didn't count. It's absolutely infuriating.

There are reportedly measures in place to ensure that election mail gets where it needs to be on time. Yet, that didn't seem to work in this case.

It isn't surprising though as it's not just election mail that's getting lost or delayed; it's our prescription medication, our bills, and our time-sensitive business documents. Most everybody seems to have a horror story right now, both in North Missouri and around the country.

I've sounded the alarm with USPS, calling for them to get their act together. This problem isn't the fault of local letter carriers; it lands squarely at upper management's feet and their failure to operate processing centers effectively. If we're going to have to send every darn piece of mail to these centralized centers just for it to get sent right back to the town it originated from, somebody needs to ensure it actually makes it back to our communities on time.

I'm not giving up on this fight. I've introduced the Pony Up Act to hold the Postal Service accountable for late deliveries. They've recently completed an audit that shows they have serious issues that need to be fixed in the Kansas City area. I'm going to make sure they do the same at the St. Louis-area facility that services Northeast Missouri. We can't let them off the hook.

I'm so sick of the Postal Service's excuses. It's always something, and people still aren't getting their mail. The services that the Postal Service provides are vital and needed. We've got to ensure they do their job and do it right, so folks get their mail on time, whether it's a bill, prescription medication, or a ballot.