Rising Uncounted Mail-In Ballots in Key States: A Growing Concern
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — A recent report highlights a troubling trend: more mail-in ballots are arriving late and not being counted in at least 12 states with critical House, Senate, and...
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — A recent report highlights a troubling trend: more mail-in ballots are arriving late and not being counted in at least 12 states with critical House, Senate, and gubernatorial races.
The New York Times found that the rate of uncounted late mail-in ballots increased in both last year’s general elections and this year’s primaries. This issue may stem from the U.S. Postal Service operating under budget constraints and undergoing structural changes.
In Michigan’s primary election, over 10,000 mail-in ballots were rejected, more than double the number from 2024. Similar trends were observed in Washington and Wisconsin, where late mail-in ballots increased by 4,000 and 2,700, respectively, compared to previous years.
President Donald Trump has attempted to leverage the U.S. Postal Service to limit mail-in voting, amid ongoing legal battles over his executive order to restrict ballot delivery. Federal judges have blocked this order, warning it could disenfranchise voters.
The U.S. Postal Service, which has been operating at a fiscal loss for nearly a decade, refutes claims of slower service, stating that over 95 percent of mail-in ballots arrive on time. However, state election officials are urging voters to mail their ballots early to avoid potential delays.
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Utah’s Ricky Hatch and Colorado’s Jena Griswold are among the officials encouraging early ballot submission and increasing drop box availability to ensure timely delivery.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
