Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced that the United States Postal Service will not make any changes to mail service until after the presidential election on November 3. DeJoy said mail processing equipment and collection boxes will not be removed, and no mail processing facilities will be closed. He also said that overtime will continue to be approved to ensure that mail is delivered on time.
"To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded," DeJoy said in a statement.
He promised that the USPS is more than capable of handling the influx of election mail. This year, some states expect a tenfold increase in election-related mail as many people are planning to vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic, we will deliver the nation's election mail on time and within our well-established service standards," he added. "The American public should know that this is our number one priority between now and election day."
DeJoy said that he still plans to make significant changes to the postal service after the election.
"I came to the Postal Service to make changes to secure the success of this organization and its long-term sustainability," he said. "I believe significant reforms are essential to that objective and work toward those reforms will commence after the election."
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