A federal judge has ordered the United States Postal Service to speed up delivery of absentee ballots in Detroit before Election Day.
U.S. District Court Judge Stanley Bastian issued the order after 13 plaintiff states, including Michigan, filed a federal lawsuit against the postal service for slowdowns in mail service.
The issue will directly affect Michigan and Wisconsin – key states in the 2020 presidential election.
“The slowdown of mail delivery in our state – especially in Detroit – has had a dramatic negative impact on the timely delivery of absentee ballots,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in the release.
The USPS is ordered to do the following requirements:
“1. Starting November 1, 2020 and continuing through November 10, 2020, each day by 10:00 AM Pacific Time, USPS shall report to the Court the prior day’s “all clear” status for each facility and processing center in the Detroit and Lakeland Districts;
- By 1:00 PM Pacific Time each day, USPS shall provide an explanation for any facility that fails to report or that reports non-compliance;
- If USPS identifies any incoming ballots in its “all clear” processes in these facilities from the date of this order through Election Day, it shall make every effort to deliver those ballots by 8:00 PM local time on Election Day as required by Michigan and Wisconsin law, including by using Priority Mail Express and/or other extraordinary measures;
- If USPS identifies any outgoing ballots in its “all clear” processes in these facilities between the date of this order and November 1, 2020, it shall make every effort to deliver those ballots to voters on or before November 2, 2020, including by using Priority Mail Express or other extraordinary measures.”
Michiganders still have time to request a ballot at their local clerk’s office. Those who have already received their ballots are being urged to drop them off in-person at their local clerk’s office.
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