LOUISIANA, Mo. – Tom Wallace is the eastern commissioner for Pike County. He recently learned that a small number of absentee ballots arrived too late to be counted.
“Every vote in every election is important but in a small community, five or six votes could be the difference for someone being elected or a tax passing or failing,” Wallace said.
The county clerk’s office reported, in one case, an absentee ballot that was mailed nearly two weeks before the August primary but arrived at its destination more than a week after the election.
Wallace has concerns about the delays and said neighboring counties have expressed similar concerns.
Both the U.S. Postal Service and Rep. Sam Graves, who represents Missouri’s 6th congressional district, released statements. Graves gave the following:
“USPS is mandated to deliver the mail six days a week. There’s no reason they can’t get election mail delivered on time. That goes for all mail for that matter, like prescription medication or bills. Their inability to deliver the mail on time has cost people money and now their right to vote. It’s inexcusable. The postal service needs to answer for this immediately and ensure it’s fixed long before November.”
A spokesperson for USPS said, “The U.S. Postal Service is committed to the secure, timely delivery of the nation’s election mail. In 2024, just as we have in previous elections, the Postal Service will fulfill our role in the electoral process when public policy makers choose to utilize the mail as a part of their election system or when voters choose to utilize our services to participate in an election.
“The Postal Service is unaware of any current service issues, disruptions or delays in Pike County or Bowling Green, Missouri. Starting in January, the Postal Service began “all clear” sweeps in facilities, including in Missouri, to make sure that ballots are delivered timely throughout the entire election season. Additionally, we work closely with election officials, including those in Pike County, in the lead-up to elections and are unaware of issues or concerns expressed by the county’s election officials.”
FOX 2 recently found complaints about mail being delayed and diverted in the St. Louis area. The story also included links to how you can report any concerns about mail delivery disruptions.
