The Postal Service recently earned the Public Service Award for its Election Mail program from the nonpartisan Election Verification Network.
The award is given annually to a public official or government unit for protecting and promoting election integrity.
“This award is further confirmation of the Postal Service’s deep commitment and great success in delivering the nation’s ballots securely and on time,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “We take pride in the role our organization plays in the election process. The American people can continue to feel confident in using the U.S. Mail to fulfill their democratic duty.”
The Election Verification Network comprises election officials, researchers and advocates focused on secure, transparent and verifiable elections.
“The award is additional recognition of the Postal Service’s successful processing and delivery of Election Mail, which has grown exponentially in recent years,” said Adrienne Marshall, the organization’s director of election and government mail services.
In 2022, USPS formed the Election and Government Mail Services Team to focus year-round on the timely and secure delivery of Election Mail as interest and use of mail-in voting continues to grow.
Amber McReynolds, a member of the Postal Service Board of Governors, nominated the Postal Service for the award.
“There is no other entity in the country that serves every single community in the United States, delivers to every voter and serves every election office as the USPS does,” she said. “And USPS has a vital role in the election process — not only for delivering ballot mail but also for polling place notifications, voter registration mailings, election education mailings, and USPS processes over 40 million changes of address through its website each year.”
In January, the agency issued its 2022 Post-Election Analysis Report on Election Mail during the 2022 midterm elections. The report highlights the Postal Service’s successful delivery of 54.4 million ballots to and from voters during the 2022 general election, with 98.96 percent of ballots delivered from voters to election officials within three days. On average, completed ballots were delivered from voters to election officials in fewer than two days.