As the U.S. Postal Service prepares for election day in three weeks, the agency began taking measures to improve safety and security five years ago. Board of Governors Chairwoman Amber McReynolds said these long-term efforts will improve operational readiness and communication.
“The Postal Service has a long and strong record of successfully delivering election mail. That record is not accidental,” McReynolds said at a press briefing Thursday. “That reflects extensive planning, close coordination with scores of stakeholders and the training and commitment of hundreds of thousands of postal employees who understand the importance of this responsibility.”
McReynolds said the board created the Strategic Government Services Committee to serve as permanent oversight for election and government mail. The committee, created in 2025 as a part of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, helps USPS track operational and performance metrics related to election and political mail.
The USPS Office of Inspector General also improved their oversight process. McReynolds said the USPS OIG now can provide immediate and daily feedback. Previously the OIG only provided audit findings after an election.
“Postal Service employees take their role in delivering democracy for American election officials and voters seriously. We will continue to invest in improvements and look for opportunities to improve,” said McReynolds. “You have my commitment that the board’s Strategic Government Services Committee will continue to maintain close oversight of our operations throughout the election season.”
The Associated Press reported that several election officials received an unknown white substance, raising security concerns as the midterm elections approach.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan Donahue confirmed at the briefing that the FBI and USPIS are investigating a series of suspicious mailings that were sent to elected officials.
“USPIS and its partners will bring all our resources to bear on these investigations. Postal inspectors employ advanced investigative techniques, and we are very proficient at the identification and interception of these types of mailings,” Donahue said.
99% of ballots delivered in a week
During election cycles, all 16 field divisions of USPIS receive designated election security coordinators who help respond to security concerns. The coordinators also inspect and physically observe the election mailing process and delivery operations. Donahue said all findings are then reported to USPIS and USPS leadership to issue next steps.
In September, USPIS and USPS OIG began investigating a mail dumping incident that involved election ballots. The employee stated that he felt overwhelmed by the quantity of mail that day. Steve Monteith, chief customer and marketing officer, told reporters that USPS staffing to handle the small percentage of mail-in ballots alongside daily mail numbers isn’t a problem.
“We have enough people, and there are rare instances with employee misconduct. However, when those instances occur, we swiftly investigate and address them,” said Monteith.
The agency is also on track to quickly deliver mail-in ballots. Monteith said USPS delivered at least 99.2 million ballots to or from voters during the 2024 general election season.
The agency’s performance generally matched its metrics for the 2020 general election and 2022 midterm election seasons. The agency said it delivered 97.73% of ballots from voters to election officials within three days, and 99.88% of ballots within a week.
Mail-in ballots accounted for nearly half of all ballots cast in the 2024 presidential election, but did not exceed the record 136 million mailed ballots USPS delivered to or from voters during the 2020 general election, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced states to expand vote-by-mail options.
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