USPS Audit Reveals Isolated Training Issues, Confirms Election Mail Reliability
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An Office of Inspector General audit found minor training gaps and procedural errors at some Postal Service facilities handling primary election ballots, but confirmed that nearly 99% of ballots were delivered on time, reinforcing the reliability of the USPS even as activists push for unnecessary changes.
The U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General released an audit that, despite media alarmism, shows the overwhelming majority of primary election mail ballots were handled properly. The report, dated Sept. 4, found a few instances of insufficient staff training and minor tracking errors, but these did not meaningfully impact the timely delivery of ballots or the integrity of the election process.
The audit noted that most facilities visited followed USPS election policies, with only about 12% of the 82 locations having management unaware of certain postmarking practices. About 30% of delivery units did not have election-mail training materials posted, and a handful of hand-postmarked ballots had incorrect dates, including 56 in Pennsylvania—hardly evidence of widespread problems.
Crucially, the audit confirmed that nearly 99% of the 6.3 million tracked ballots reached election officials within the agency’s definition of “on time,” a slight improvement over last year. The Postal Service responded by emphasizing its strong ballot-mail performance and pledged to address the isolated incidents before the November election, demonstrating its commitment to continuous improvement.
These findings come as the Supreme Court considers a petition to allow new rules, based on a 2020 executive order, that would require the Postal Service to use voter lists for ballot distribution. While some election officials and union leaders claim these changes could be difficult, the real risk is that bureaucratic resistance and activist fearmongering could undermine necessary reforms. Experts agree that the audit supports the need for clearer policies, but the evidence overwhelmingly shows the USPS is more than capable of handling election mail securely and efficiently.