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Audit Reports

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    Election Mail Readiness 2024 General Election Cover
Jul
30
2024
Report Number:
24-016-R24
Report Type:
Audit Reports
Category: Delivering for America, Service, Election and Political Mail, Service Performance

Election Mail Readiness for 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 is committed to fulfilling its role in the electoral process when policy makers choose to use the mail as a part of their election system. 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 Postal Service’s readiness for the timely processing and delivery of Election and Political Mail for the 2024 general election. For this audit, we conducted observations at 15 judgmentally selected mail processing facilities and 35 delivery units located in 13 states and Puerto Rico during primary elections in February and March 2024.

What We Found

The Postal Service developed an Election Mail and Political Mail Guidebook that provides employees with many of the key resources that explain the longstanding, special-handling procedures required to facilitate the timely processing and delivery of Election Mail and Political Mail. For the period from December 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024, the Postal Service processed Political and Election Mail with on time processing scores ranging from 97.01 to 98.17 percent. However, as a result of our observations and inquiries, we found that Postal Service personnel did not always comply with policy and procedures regarding all clear certifications, Election and Political Mail logs, and audit checklists. In addition, we identified processes and policies that could pose a risk of delays in the processing and delivery of Election and Political Mail. Further, we identified issues related to some Delivering for America operational changes that pose a risk of individual ballots not being counted.

Recommendations and Management’s Comments

We made ten recommendations to address the issues identified in the report. Postal Service management agreed with eight recommendations and disagreed with two. Postal Service 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 recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10, and corrective actions should resolve the issues in the report. We view management’s disagreement with recommendations 5 and 6 as unresolved and will work with management through the formal audit resolution process.

Report Recommendations

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

Provide oversight and implement additional monitoring controls that verify Election and Political Mail policy and procedures are being followed at all facilities. controls that verify Election and Political Mail policy and procedures are being followed at all facilities.

Closed $0 Agree
2

Update the Operational Clean Sweep Search Checklist to include the Low-Cost Reject Encoding Machine and manual operation areas.

Closed $0 Agree
3

Work with Divisional Directors and District Managers at all the facilities to provide stand-up talks and training to all employees and maintain evidence the training was conducted as well as post the stand-up talks and relevant procedures around the workroom floor.

Closed $0 Agree
4

Clarify the pitch-catch-clear process to include timeframes and the elections for which this process is required.

Closed $0 Agree
5

Develop and implement a process for delivery units to segregate Election Mail identified as Postal Automated Redirection System Mail prior to sending it back to a mail processing facility.

Closed $0 Disagree
Agree
6

Evaluate the postmarking policy and adjust as necessary to ensure that all mail-in ballots receive a postmark.

Open $0 Disagree
Agree
7

Clearly communicate the postmarking policy to all operations.

Closed $0 Agree
8

Develop and implement a plan to communicate Election and Political Mail processing, transportation, and delivery processes to any facilities impacted by the Local Transportation Optimization initiative, including those with mail that crosses state lines.

Closed $0 Agree
9

Create a plan so that the Regional Processing and Distribution Centers have appropriate procedures and resources in place to prioritize election and political mail processing.

Closed $0 Agree
10

Pause implementation of Delivering for America initiatives during September through November 8, 2024.

Closed $0 Agree