Denver7’s Robert Garrison reports on the latest attempt by the Trump-addled United States Postal Service, deliberately and/or by sheer incompetence, to screw up mail balloting that has worked flawlessly for years in Colorado elections:
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced Saturday her office filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service over a pre-election mailer being mailed out to every postal customer.
Griswold contends that the USPS mailer is misleading and will cause confusion for Colorado voters.
“The mailer incorrectly asks that voters request a mail ballot 15 days before the election and return their ballots by mail at least seven days before the election. In Colorado, every registered voter is sent a ballot without having to make a request and voters are urged to return ballots by mail sooner than seven days before the election,” Griswold wrote in a statement released Saturday.
AP’s Jim Anderson reports that after a temporary restraining order was granted halting the delivery of these postcards containing incorrect and incomplete information about mail ballots in Colorado, USPS had the effrontery to argue it’s too much work to stop them:
The USPS mailer tells voters they must request a mail-in ballot for the November elections. In Colorado, every registered voter receives a mail ballot.
The mailer also recommends that voters mail back their ballots at least a week before the Nov. 3 Election Day. Griswold argued that could make people believe they must mail their ballot in but voters in Colorado can mail their ballots, drop them off at drop boxes or voting service centers, or vote in person…
The postal service asked Martinez on Sunday to reconsider, arguing that more than 200,000 postcards were in the process of being delivered. It said the judge’s order would be “extremely burdensome, requiring examination of mail by thousands of postal employees.” It added it had ceased processing of other Colorado-bound postcards.
Given that these postcards have apparently already been delivered in many states, we suppose it’s possible their delivery in some cases can’t be physically prevented to Colorado households despite the restraining order. But if they can be recalled at any expense, they should be. If delivered, the errors in this postcard with respect to how mail ballot elections in Colorado work are very likely to result in a flood of erroneous calls to the Secretary of State’s office requesting mail ballots that will already be mailed, taking staff time and resources away from their actual jobs. While maybe not as egregious as telling voters to get their ballots in by Election Wednesday, it’s another example of incompetence, indifference, or both from a vital government service provider Americans counted on for generations before Donald Trump became President.
Call it another case of those who say “government doesn’t work” proving it’s true–when they’re the government.
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Got mine yesterday. Another item to check in with voters on GOTV calls. “Yes, you can still drop your ballot in the box.”
I got mine last week. Also three giant postcards from the “Colorado Republican Committee” saying that Biden is a scary radical with pictures of Bernie and AOC.
We got the silly thing Saturday and had a good laugh at it before it went to the recycle bin.
Got mine and was shaking my head at how inept those who put the mailer together are.
9th grade Civics class made it abundantly clear that states run elections and have different rules. How tough would it have been to do the design, then call the state election office and ask "what needs to change to make this most helpful?"
I got mine. What I would like to know is how, given that Colorado is relatively safe for Biden, I can best help Biden win in the other critical battleground states – and how I can help prevent Trump's efforts to win the election through fraud. What is the best way I can work to stop this corrupt traitor from being re-elected?
re: "Best way" to help.
I think the most likely way to help is reaching out individually to your existing contacts — friends & family — in battleground states. After finding out they are registered to vote, explain your concern, and ask them to help by making a plan now, and carrying it out by November 3. Wherever they are on the voting spectrum, if you can move them one or two clicks toward Biden, it will make a difference.
vote for Trump || stay home || vote for Biden || be an advocate with their family & friends || contribute time & talent to Biden campaign
Beyond that — Joe Biden for President offers chances to donate or volunteer, helping the campaign find votes among strangers. Or there are groups which will help you do something by investing your time or money in reaching voters in key states. Other organizations focus on voters in groups they see as particularly important: women, youth, ethnic or racial communities, particular professions.
Whatever (within the law) you are willing to do, there's probably a group which will help you do it as effectively as possible.
Received mine in Boulder on Saturday.
Asking for a friend
Is there a way to fundraise off of this?
Republican postmaster generalissimo cannot run the USPS! Why was he appointed/ Could it be because he cannot run the USPS?
Send money now so you can get your mail!
Got mine. I'm trying to think of something useful to do with it, besides post a photo of it on social media warning Coloradans to NOT follow the advice of Trump's political hack Postmaster.
If this is such a massive burden for the USPS to stop or recall all these malevolently incompetent mailers, perhaps they should bill the extra work back to Postmaster General DeJoy.
I hear he's just rolling in the dough, and it's his responsibility to clean up his own messes.
Sue the PM General. The usps has no business sticking its nose in CO elections. Its doing so is another trunp campaign tactic.
Add grift to insult:
Postal Service Stiffed $20 Million Cost of Delivering Trump COVID-19 Mailer