United Parcel Service and FedEx on Friday shot down social media calls that they step in to deliver mail-in ballots from the U.S. Postal Service, which is warning states of potentially "significant" delays.
Freddie Joyner has more.
UPS, FedEx warn they cannot carry ballots like USPS
EDITOR'S NOTE: This version has corrected the voice over saying USPS instead of UPS in a statement made by FedEx (shown on screen).
A previous version of this video also misquoted a statement on screen by FedEx.
The text on-screen was correct, but the voiceover initially said 'does not' instead of 'does.'
As the fight over voting by mail grows in the U.S. leading up to November’s presidential election, on Friday private delivery companies UPS and FedEx shot down social media calls that they step in to deliver mail-in ballots from the U.S. Postal Service.
This comes as USPS warned states of potentially "significant" delays.
In a statement exclusively to Reuters, UPS said (quote): “State ballots must be postmarked to be considered valid and only the USPS has lawful postmarking status.
Therefore UPS, FedEx and other private parties cannot technically be involved in shipping ballots.” While FedEx responded (quote): "FedEx does accept individual ballots, and we advise that customers planning to return their ballots via FedEx should closely review their state's guidelines on absentee voting and deadlines for ballots or related election documents." All this taking place while President Donald Trump on Thursday said he opposed providing funds for the struggling Postal Service for mail voting, which is expected to surge to 50% as the coronavirus pandemic rages ahead of the Nov.
3 presidential election.
The Postal Service said on Friday it has written to 46 states and the District of Columbia warning there is a significant risk voters will not have enough time to complete and return their ballots.
There are other hurdles that these private companies would face… While the USPS touches every U.S. mailbox six days a week, other companies visit only when they have a delivery or a pre-arranged pickup.
The other issue is cost... According to Tammy Patrick, a former Arizona election official and senior advisor to the Democracy Fund foundation, domestic costs would skyrocket, since delivery firms charge significantly more for deliveries than the price of a 55-cent stamp while international costs would be “astronomical.”