Florida's primary election is August 18, 2020. Early voting started on August 8, 2020, and because of the pandemic, the ability to mail in a vote is an option to the citizen of Florida. Floridians have until August 8, 2020, to request their mail-in ballot. I have requested a mail-in ballot for the primary and the November 3, 2020 election as well. I am not sure if I will use these ballots or go to a voting site and cast my vote in person. My experience with early voting in the past two elections was positive and I feel that timing and due diligence can keep me safe from the pandemic. It is a personal preference because even though it is safer and less stressful to drop my ballot in the mail, I feel my patriotic duty is to cast my vote in person.
Even though the President has voiced his opinion of the accuracy of mail-in voting, today in the Orlando Sentinel there is an article titled "Voting by mail surges in S. Florida." Brevard, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties have each passed the 100,000 mark in mail ballots for the primary. These counties have surpassed previous election mail-in ballots. There is no sign of an increase in early voting which indicates many have opted for the convenience of mail-in voting.
The battle over the postal service has been something this President started in 2018. Realizing that mail-in voting could become a detriment to his re-election. In comes his appointee to head the postal service, another lackey, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy (another major Trump donor). DeJoy was appointed on June 15, 2020, and in record time has stalled an already slow-moving process to a complete breakdown.
During this past week, the Democrats demanded the USPS repeal the cutbacks slowing the mailing process less than 100 days away from the November elections. Some of the changes include reducing overtime availability, restrictions on extra mail transportation trips, and a reduction of the number and use of the processing equipment used in the postal office processing plants. Besides, the administration is hell-bent on increasing the shipping rates to quash Amazon and other businesses that use the USPS to deliver some of their packages.
For every Birthday, Mother's Day, and Christmas card that I placed in the mail in the past forty years, I was never concerned about whether the cash or gift card inside would never make it to its destination on time. We all know that the Republicans are grasping at any possible delay or setback in our Democratic process. It is our patriotic duty to vote and do it in any means possible for your safety and health. Not one citizen in the United States or living abroad will not be affected by the changes the Republicans make to the United States Postal Service.
As you wonder will your vote be counted if it is mailed, remember it is a federal crime to tamper with mail. The Trump administration can slow down the process as much as they want. However, if mail that is postmarked and in the USPS system is not accounted for a federal crime has happened. Who do you think will take the fall for this?
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