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Service Performance of Election and Political Mail During the 2024 General Election

Audit Reports

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    24-143-R25_cover
Apr
21
2025
Report Number:
24-143-R25
Report Type:
Audit Reports
Category: Delivering for America, Service, Election and Political Mail, Service Performance

Service Performance of Election and Political Mail During the 2024 General Election

Background

The U.S. Postal Service is responsible for processing, transporting, and delivering the nation’s Election and Political Mail. The Postal Service has specific policies and procedures on the proper acceptance, processing, delivery, and documentation of Election and Political Mail.

What We Did

Our objective was to evaluate the service performance and visibility of Election and Political Mail during the 2024 general election. For this audit, we reviewed Election and Political Mail policies and mail tracking methods, analyzed service performance data, and judgmentally selected and conducted observations at 68 mail processing facilities and 947 delivery units during the 2024 general election season.

What We Found

Overall, the Postal Service significantly exceeded service performance goals for Election and most Political Mail, but opportunities existed for the Postal Service to improve tracking of Ballot Mail within its network. The Postal Service applied its “extraordinary measures” to expedite handling of Ballot Mail. In fact, we found the Postal Service provided service above rates charged for certain ballots and late arriving Political Mail. The Postal Service could have potentially received $15.4 million more in revenue if it charged rates in line with the service provided on these ballots. When we observed non-compliance with Election and Political Mail policies and procedures, we found it was caused by confusion in the field over new, electronic processes or temporary changes in the mail flow due to the election. We did not see widespread instances of delayed Election or Political Mail in delivery units before or after the election, but better controls could lead to more accurate daily reporting on the status of Election and Political Mail from delivery operations.

In addition, the Postal Service estimated that just under 40 million ballots mailed to and from voters did not have performance tracking data. The Postal Service’s inability to track ballots negatively impacts its and other interested parties’ visibility into the status of ballots in the postal network.

Recommendations and Management’s Comments

We made nine recommendations in the report. Postal Service management agreed with six and disagreed with three. Management’s comments and our evaluation are at the end of each finding and recommendation. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) considers management’s comments responsive to the six agreed recommendations as corrective actions should resolve the issues identified. We will work with management through the audit resolution process on the remaining three recommendations.

Report Recommendations

# Recommendation Status Value Initial Management Response USPS Proposed Resolution OIG Response Final Resolution
1

Charge First-Class Mail rates for Ballot Mail because service is comparable to or exceeds First-Class Mail service.

Open $15,400,055 Disagree
2

Assess options to charge for the premium service provided for late arriving Political Mail or clarify policy around delivery expectations for this mail.

Open $0 Agree
3

Finalize electronic Election and Political Mail reporting tools, written expectations for their use, and user guides in advance of the next federal election season.

Open $0 Agree
4

Use carrier data to prohibit managers from completing the delivery all clear certification before carriers leave and arrive back from their delivery duties.

Open $0 Agree
5

Work with District Managers to develop a plan to identify hub and spoke locations, including Regional Transportation Optimization sites, and communicate operational expectations in advance of the extraordinary measures period.

Open $0 Agree
6

Consider additional incentives for using serialized Intelligent Mail barcodes and service type identifiers for mail service providers that mail ballots.

Open $0 Agree
7

Create a method for scanning local turnaround ballots at delivery units.

Open $0 Disagree
8

Implement specific training for Ballot Mail service providers tailored to reducing common service performance exclusions.

Open $0 Agree
9

Set specific exclusion thresholds for Ballot Mail.

Open $0 Disagree