Postal Service emerges as pivotal player in midterm election

Kansas and Michigan election officials urge voters to drop off ballots in person

With about six weeks until the first midterm ballots are mailed, the U.S. Postal Service has become a central player in an election season that will determine control of Congress. Democratic officials have raised concerns over the past week about how quickly the agency will process ballots after tens of thousands of ballots in California and hundreds in Wisconsin arrived at local election offices too late to be counted in elections earlier this year.

A change to how the Postal Service processes mail is leading to criticism that it is failing to deliver ballots on time, the officials said. The top election offices in Kansas and Michigan are urging voters who want to cast early ballots to avoid the mail entirely and instead drop them off in person.

President Donald Trump is seeking greater control over mail balloting through an executive order.

The Postal Service responded to the concerns by saying it remains “committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process.” In a statement Tuesday, the agency said, “We provide a secure, efficient, and effective way for citizens to participate when policymakers decide to use mail as part of their elections.”