WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- As more states turn to the mail box
for help with the ballot box, the U.S. Postal Service has developed an online
resource to help election officials navigate rules and regulations that allow
citizens to vote by mail.
"Mailing Resources for Election Officials" on usps.com was developed after
consulting with election officials across the country and executives at the
Election Center Inc. to determine the best documents and guides to explain
clearly and concisely those rules that govern sending election materials
through the mail.
The number of states that allow "no-excuse" early voting by mail or in
person has almost tripled since 1996. All states west of Missouri will allow
it this year.
Vote by Mail is a method of distributing ballots in advance of an
election. Instead of using traditional polling places where voters go to cast
ballots on Election Day, a ballot is mailed to each registered voter.
Completed ballots are mailed to the county election office to be counted.
Vote by Mail was adopted by the State of Oregon for all elections after
increasing numbers of Oregonians requested to become "Permanent Absentee"
voters.
"The Postal Service has a proud history of working with election officials
across the country to suggest mailing options, assist with address databases
and ensure proper handling of election materials," said Nick Barranca, Vice
President, Product Development. "The development of the Resource Center is one
more way the Postal Service is reaching out to better meet the needs of our
customers."
The non-partisan "Mailing Resources for Election Officials" focuses on the
definition of "election mail" and walks users through a series of documents,
fact sheets and frequently asked questions on how to plan, address and design
election mail. There are templates that can be downloaded and related links to
other sources of information and websites. The Postal Service designed a
special logo to be used exclusively on election mail.
The Postal Service plays no role in how elections are carried out in the
United States, although it is fully authorized to inform and educate election
officials about USPS products and services available.
The Houston-based Election Center, Inc. worked with the Postal Service to
develop the website resource center. Also known as the National Association of
Election Officials, its members are almost exclusively government employees
whose profession it is to serve in voter registration and elections
administration -- voter registrars, elections supervisors, elections
directors, city clerk/city secretary, county clerk, county recorder, state
legislative staff, state election director and Secretary of State for each of
the individual states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
"The Postal Service and the elections community have worked well together
in recent years to assure that Official Election Mail is easily identified and
moved to voters," said Doug Lewis, Executive Director, Election Center Inc.
"The cooperation between the Postal Service and the Election Center to produce
a detailed program to assist election officials is an ongoing partnership. The
joint efforts improve the ability to better serve America's voters."
Visit http://www.usps.com/electionmail to view "Mailing Resources for
Election Officials."
Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office
Department, have connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by
mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 142 million homes and
businesses every day, six days a week and is the only service provider
delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no
taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues
solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues
of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and
delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the
world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail
volume -- some 206 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a
year -- and serves seven and a half million customers each day at its 37,000
retail locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts more than 21
million visitors each month.
Please Note: Broadcast-quality audio files are being provided for radio
reporters on the U.S. Postal Service website press room:
http://www.usps.com/communications/news/press.
SOURCE U.S. Postal Service
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Related links:
http://www.usps.com
CONTACT:
USPS Media Relations, +1-202-268-2155
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