Postal facilities processed political and election mail on time at rates in the 97-98 percent range over the four months through April–when many states were holding primaries–although policies related to tracking such mail were not always followed, an inspector general audit has found in what it said will be the part of an ongoing review of an issue in which public interest is high.
That performance, involving items such as ballots being sent to voters and to boards of elections, as well as materials mailed by candidates or parties for political purposes, measured progress through facilities and not to the end delivery point.
The IG said it “found that Postal Service personnel did not always comply with policy and procedures regarding all clear certifications, Election and Political Mail logs, and audit checklists.” In observations at 15 mail processing facilities, for example, it found that 12 did not follow all procedures to certify that the facility was clear of political and election mail by a daily deadline, and that in seven cases such mail was still in the facility after a certification.