Politics

The head of the Postal Service still doesn’t understand mail voting

Published

1 year ago

November 12, 2024

The head of the Postal Service still doesn’t understand mail voting

Four years ago, many Americans were outraged to learn that the U.S. Postal Service was cutting services, even as Donald Trump was making baseless claims about vote-by-mail.

Genuine concerns among Democrats over the possibility of mail ballots’ being rejected for late delivery began to bleed into conspiracy theories about Trump-appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoya North Carolina businessman who donated more than $685,000 to help put on the 2020 Republican National Convention.

In the end, the Postal Service performed admirablydespite the surge in mail voting and the difficult circumstances. DeJoy was not, as some feared, a Trump lackey looking to tear down your local post office in order to hand the election to his favored candidate — but more of a run-of-the-mill Republican appointee with an obsession for cutting costs and a tin ear for politics.

His response was so tone-deaf he’d be kicked off “America’s Got Talent” if he were singing it.

As if to underline the point, he resurfaced in August to reassure voters that the Postal Service is ready to handle mail ballots in this year’s presidential election. A reporter with The Associated Press asked whether he had learned anything from overseeing the crush of mail ballots in 2020, and his response was so tone-deaf he’d be kicked off “America’s Got Talent” if he were singing it.

Echoing every clueless executive trying to explain something away, DeJoy said the Postal Service needed to be bolder in its messaging.

“We have to be louder than the noise in communicating how well we’re going to do and that things are going to be OK. Things are going to be good. We’re in a better operating position than we ever have been,” he said.

To be fair, DeJoy has a point. The Postal Service is on more solid financial footing than it’s been in years, thanks in part to his helping shepherd an overhaul through Congress. And vote-by-mail remains a great way to cast your ballotespecially if you work long hours or take care of young children and might find it difficult to get to a polling place on Election Day.

A Postal Service watchdog and a group of state elections officials have recently raised concerns about how the agency is training workers in handling mail ballots.

But a Postal Service watchdog and a bipartisan group of state elections officials have recently raised concerns about how the agency is training workers in handling mail ballots. These are legitimate concerns raised by serious people — definitely not “noise” that can be addressed by being “louder.” And DeJoy should respond by making an immediate, agencywide push to address them and reassure the public.

First, in July, the Postal Service inspector general released an audit of its “election mail readiness” for the November election, which found inconsistent training and handling of mail ballots that could lead to some ballots’ being rejected. To be clear, the report found that 97% of election and political mail was processed on time, so we’re not talking about undermining democracy here. But this is an area where the goal should be 100%. No one should have their ballots thrown out because the local mail carrier didn’t read the employee handbook closely.

Then, on Wednesday, the National Association of Secretaries of State, a nonpartisan group of top state elections officials, sent DeJoy a six-page letter saying they had “serious questions” about lost or delayed election mail that could lead to some ballots’ not being counted in November.

“We implore you to take immediate and tangible corrective action to address the ongoing performance issues,” they wrote.

It’s important to understand the broader context here. One of the issues raised by the inspector general’s report was that some postal workers didn’t know that they were supposed to postmark mail ballots, which are handled differently from regular mail. But a number of states won’t accept mail ballots that don’t have legible postmarks, which is considered proof that the ballots were sent before Election Day. And in a close election, you can bet that some enterprising Trump supporter will raise conspiracy theories about unpostmarked ballots and sue to try to get them thrown out.

The worst-case scenario is that an election is decided by whether or not those ballots are counted. But even in the best-case scenario, the fight needlessly undermines trust in the election and hurts the Postal Service’s reputation.

The Postal Service is just a piece of this puzzle. American elections would be better served if lawmakers didn’t set unnecessarily restrictive rules for perceived political advantage, candidates didn’t spread conspiracy theories, lawyers didn’t try to get legitimate ballots thrown out for spurious reasons and postal workers were all trained in how to handle mail ballots properly.

If you’re a voter, you can do your part by casting your mail ballot early (don’t wait until the final week before Election Day!) and carefully (make sure to sign the envelope!) or using a ballot drop box where available.

But in the absence of all of that, DeJoy should make sure that the Postal Service is doing everything it can to get mail ballots delivered on time. Talking louder isn’t enough.

Ryan Teague Beckwith

Ryan Teague Beckwith is a newsletter editor for BLN. He has previously worked for such outlets as Time magazine, Bloomberg News and CQ Roll Call. He teaches journalism at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies.

Politics

Tammy Haddad on Barbra Streisand, Trump and DC’s A-List weekend

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Tammy Haddad on Barbra Streisand, Trump and DC’s A-List weekend

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Politics

He wants Muslims out of the U.S., and he’s Blakeman’s opener

Published

9 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles will be receiving an award at the Metropolitan Republican Club's annual gala.

THE ISLAMAPHOBE & BLAKEMAN: As Nassau County Executive, Republican Bruce Blakeman has welcomed Muslim residents with open arms.

He’s eaten at their Ramadan Iftar dinners, appointed the first Muslim chaplain to the county’s police force and talked about the value of Muslims as Nassau County county residents and Americans.

But as he tries to win a statewide race for governor, Blakeman is now aligning himself with a leader of the anti-Muslim faction of the national GOP — and he’s not responding to questions about it.

On Friday night, Blakeman will appear with Rep. Andy Ogles — the Tennessee Republican who has led the effort in Washington to “denaturalize” and “deport” Mayor Zohran Mamdani — at the Metropolitan Republican Club’s annual gala.

“Muslims don’t belong in American society,” Ogles has said. He’s also called Mamdani “Little Muhammad” and claimed that “denaturalizations and deportations are the only way to save the Big Apple.”

Blakeman’s team declined to comment on Ogles’ past statements or the gubernatorial candidate’s upcoming appearance with the House member.

Blakeman will deliver the gala’s keynote speech, and Ogles will be honored with the club’s Ronald Reagan Award for the Advancement of Individual Liberty. Also on the list of featured attendees are former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Council Member Vickie Paladino and former Nassau County Bridge Authority Commissioner and pro-Israel influencer Emily Austin. Tickets start at $321.

The event’s host, the Metropolitan Republican Club, is often seen as the more mainstream counterpart to the city’s far-right New York Young Republican Club. The statewide New York State Young Republicans disbanded last year after POLITICO uncovered a trove of racist, homophobic and antisemitic chats involving members of the organization and other Young Republican groups around the country.

Ogles spoke at the New York Young Republican Club’s gala in December, where he said “naturalized illegal immigrants are polluting our politics” and “the new right must have courage to deport them,” a reference to his call for Mamdani’s deportation.

Husein Yatabarry, executive director of the Muslim Community Network, told Playbook remarks like Ogles’ can have a “huge impact” on the state’s roughly 1.7 million Muslim residents as they consider whether to engage in state politics.

“It’s sad to see that a lot of politicians are leaning into xenophobia and Islamaphobia and not looking at Muslims as part of their community’s fabric, but looking at Muslims as a way to get the most rude and heinous people behind you as a candidate,” Yatabarry said.

Ogles, who wrote a letter to the Department of Justice in October asking for Mamdani to be denaturalized, did not respond to a request for comment. He faces his own political battle this year, as a Democratic mayor has found fundraising success while hoping to topple Ogles in his deep-red district. Federal authorities are also reportedly investigating Ogles for potential campaign finance violations.

On the campaign trail, Blakeman often touts his strong electoral performances in purple Nassau County when speaking of his electability statewide. He easily won reelection last year in what was otherwise a bleak year for Republicans in New York.

But his Friday night appearance won’t be the first time he’ll find himself alongside figures from the extreme corners of the GOP. Blakeman was the keynote speaker at an event honoring John Eastman, an attorney who was disbarred in California last week for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. When Blakeman’s running mate, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, spoke at a Buffalo-area political club led by a man who called Mamdani “vermin,” the Nassau County executive didn’t seem to mind.

“Mayor Mamdani is a disgrace,” Blakeman said in a statement at the time. “He is anti-American, antisemitic, and anti-Cop.” — Jason Beeferman

FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

House Majority PAC did not announce any investments for advertisement in New York City as Democrats guard Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen seats.

PAC IT UP: House Democrats’ biggest super PAC touted its “largest early investment” in the organization’s history, with a notable omission — New York.

House Majority PAC’s announcement earlier today of an initial $272 million spend on advertisements includes zilch in the notoriously expensive New York City media market, where Democrats are protecting Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen on Long Island and attempting to flip Rep. Mike Lawler’s seat just north of the city in NY-17.

Democrats, fear not. Money is on the way, according to HMP.

“Today’s initial reservations prioritize markets where rates increase significantly and there will be more reservations to come,” the super PAC’s communications director CJ Warnke said in a statement. “HMP plans to invest heavily to flip districts like NJ-07 and NY-17.” (The NYC media market covers Republican Rep. Tom Kean in New Jersey’s 7th District as well.)

National Democratic groups are working from a much smaller electoral map in New York after flipping four seats two years ago. Last cycle, HMP’s initial reserve included $16 million in New York City and $5 million in markets further upstate.

Meanwhile, the Congressional Leadership Fund — the House GOP’s main super PAC — on Thursday also released its initial advertising reservations, which the group similarly described as its “largest ever.” That $153 million investment includes $18.6 million in New York City. CLF also said it is putting money into Albany ($2.1 million), Binghamton ($1.8 million) and Syracuse ($658,000), markets that cover Democratic Rep. Josh Riley’s district — another seat that Republicans have their eye on.

Last cycle, CLF’s initial reservation included $20 million in New York City and $8 million in markets elsewhere in the state.

“House Majority PAC isn’t even spending one dollar to defend vulnerable Dem members Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen, Josh Riley & [New Jersey Rep.] Nellie Pou,” CLF spokesperson Lydia Hall said in a statement. “They’ve given up on these incumbents while funding other offensive fantasies across the country.” — Madison Fernandez

From the Capitol

The Trump administration's executive order reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as less dangerous.

SCHRÖDINGER’S CANNABIS: New York’s beleaguered medical cannabis program can breathe a sigh of relief today after the Trump administration rescheduled medical cannabis through an executive order. Overnight, they went from dealing in a Schedule I, federally illegal substance to one that has a pathway to federal regulation under Schedule III.

What does this do for New York’s medical cannabis producers? First off, they will no longer be subject to an onerous federal tax code that barred them from taking typical business deductions like employee salaries. And starting next week, they’ll be able to register with the Drug Enforcement Administration — a dramatic shift for an industry that was viewed by the federal government as illegal drug traffickers.

The cannabis industry in New York and beyond is cheering the move as normalizing medical use of the substance. While the order doesn’t immediately change the status of the state’s adult-use market, where anyone at least 21 years old can legally shop, it does signal that the administration will likely take steps to do so this summer.

Beyond that is where things get a little murky. “There are a lot more questions coming out of this order than there are answers,” said Katie Neer, a cannabis regulatory lawyer who represents the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association.

It could make it easier for the cannabis industry to access financial services, though that remains to be seen. And it could draw more capital to New York’s medical cannabis operators, where there are 10 licensees that are not yet operational. It could also enable New York’s medical cannabis operators, who are under one of the strictest programs in the nation, to export their products.

“It creates a market across the world for New York’s pharmaceutical [cannabis] products … to be exported internationally,” said Adam Goers, senior vice president of corporate affairs for New York medical cannabis operator Columbia Care. In terms of interstate commerce? “We’ll see how that plays out.”

New York’s medical cannabis program launched in January 2016 with 10 licensed operators. Eight of those are still operational, and the state issued licenses to 11 new medical operators more recently.

For now, even as they welcome the federal shift, cannabis companies will be tasked with figuring out the confusing legal complexities moving forward. Some of New York’s medical marijuana businesses also sell products in the adult-use market, which creates a quandary when it comes to figuring out their taxes, and more.

“It’s Schrödinger’s cannabis, right?” said Mike Feldman, general counsel of Nabis, a cannabis distributor in New York. “It is sitting in a warehouse, and it is both Schedule I and Schedule III at the same time.” — Mona Zhang

TRAIN TROUBLES — A dispute between Amtrak and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority threatens the full rollout of new Acela trains, Amtrak said in a lawsuit that represents the latest transit dispute between President Donald Trump’s and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administrations.

The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, asks a judge to order Metro-North to give Amtrak access to the tracks, Blue Light News Pro reports.

Amtrak said Metro-North is blocking its ability to test new trains because of a dispute between the two railways over liability for damage to an overhead power line that Metro-North blames on one of Amtrak’s NextGen Acela trains.

In a statement, MTA suggested Amtrak is trying to distract from another ongoing dispute where MTA says Amtrak is holding up expansion of commuter service to Penn Station.

In the lawsuit, Amtrak reveals an issue with its new Acela trains tangling with MTA infrastructure near a bridge in Westport, Connecticut during previous tests. Similar infrastructure problems — involving the interaction between overhead power lines and a train pole that draws energy from them — caused massive delays for commuters in New Jersey two summers ago. The Garden State and Amtrak were able to work through their issues; this lawsuit against New York suggests a broken relationship between Amtrak and Empire State officials. — Ry Rivard

IN OTHER NEWS

— BILLIONAIRE BLUES: Citadel CEO Ken Griffin suggested the hedge fund might halt its planned New York City expansion after Mamdani filmed a video at his Manhattan penthouse to announce a new tax on second-homes worth over $5 million. (The Wall Street Journal)

— DELAY NOW, PAY LATER: Mamdani’s team presented Hochul’s administration with a plan to delay pension fund payments in an effort to save at least $1 billion as New York City faces a multibillion-dollar budget gap. (The New York Times)

— ZONE OF INTEREST: Unions are meeting with Mamdani’s administration to push for a veto of the buffer zone bill, which keeps protesters away from schools and educational facilities, as the mayor’s decision deadline nears. (THE CITY)

Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.