Mail

I remember as a young adult, first time living on my own, and getting really excited each day when the mail arrived.  This was way before email, or Facebook, or Instagram.  Back then there were only two ways to communicate with someone who was far away: the phone or through the mail.

Everything was sent through the mail: letters, bills, magazines, small packages, Christmas cards, store flyers, and more.   We had to go to the post office to buy stamps.  We waited in long lines at because everyone at some point in their week had to go.  The weeks before Christmas were the worst times as everyone bought special holiday stamps and then dropped off cards once prepared and ready to send.

Well, as we know it is not like that anymore when it comes to the mail.   My local post office has reduced its hours of operations and it struggles to compete with all the  electronic communications, and the other package delivery companies.   Rarely is there a line in the office and if there is one it takes  five minutes at most to wait in it for service.

The US postal service has always been around.   Hasn’t it?   It’s been around since the early days of the pony express when our country was just organizing itself.   It’s always been a big part of America.  In fact, the post office is what connected us to the whole world.

In recent years we have listened as some people say that the postal service is obsolete and just too expensive to run.  It is slow and not very reliable.   It can’t keep up with the competition.

There have been talks about how to save It, to somehow keep it going, for a long time.  The price of stamps has had to go up periodically to keep it afloat.   And, really, how much  money will we pay to send a letter?

Now, lately, the US Post Office has gotten into the middle of another battle.   As we find ourselves living in the Covid World, many people in the country worry about the November election and how best we can safely get out and vote. Voting is our right, and our duty, our voice, and one of the most important things we can all do in a democracy.  But, standing in lines, and sharing polling machines is now a dangerous thing to do.   This time to vote we will have to safely distance in line, wear masks,  and the machines will have to be cleaned between each and every voter’s turn.  It will make the process slower, longer, and it still might not completely delete the possibility of spreading the virus.

So , sensibly, for safety,  the idea of mail in voting has become an issue. A hot issue.  A political issue.  Some people say…no way! mail in voting ballots can be lost, or people will forget the postage, or there could be an element of fraud with false ballots sent in, or duplicated.  When in doubt, throw it out!   It will take too long to count and announce the winner.   And, yes, those are all valid points.

Electronic voting also has concerns beyond the worry of spreading the virus.   Voting machines can breakdown or malfunction.    Sending votes electronically relies on the safety of the grids.  Using the internet opens the chance of fraud through hacking.

Neither way is perfect and each way has concerns attached to it.

The American people want and need to know everything that can be done is being done to make sure we have a fair and accurate election.   It is August and we are only a few months away from Election Day.  we are running out of time to prepare for whatever way is decided.  And, let’s not forget that the voting procedures and machines are different from  state by state.   Does this sound like a potential mess?  Oh yes, yes it does!

I hear the talking heads on the pseudo news programs talk about bringing back mail in ballots and I think it can not be dismissed.   Political rhetoric aside. We need to get back to a simplified, and unified way to vote.  Even if the final count may take days.   We have to look at states like Oregon who have been sending out ballots that can be filled out and dropped off in mailboxes. They have been successful in voting that way for a good while.   I think they use specific temporary boxes just for ballots.  But we have the post office system up and running round this country – and face it, they need help.  Let’s use them!

It would alleviate the problem we are having this year with the need for poll workers, who are mostly older folks who do not want to take a chance getting the virus at in-person poll locations.

Ballots are mailed to everyone in mid-October.  People can then mail them back anytime up to and through Election Day.   The US Postal Service collects them and the Office of Elections around the country pick them up, counts, double checks, verifies, and the system works as it should.

Once again the United States Postal service and all its workers will become vital in the American way of life.

Will I miss going to the poll and pushing the buttons and casting my vote that way?  Getting my “I voted” sticker? Yes I will.  But for too long I have not liked ” early returns” and polls closing in the East before the West coast has voted. I have not liked gerrymandering and other ways to twist voting around.

I still believe my vote is all I have and I want it to count. Perhaps it will if I can mail it in, keep myself safe, and wait for the returns.