President Biden is taking steps to protect mail-in ballots ahead of the 2024 presidential election by making appointments to the U.S. Postal Service. According to former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance, these appointments are part of a political struggle within the postal service. Republican lawyers have argued that mail-in ballots disproportionately favor Democratic Party candidates. To exercise more control, Biden nominated former Florida Congresswoman Val Demings and Republican businessman William Zollars to the board of governors.
The board of governors is composed of 11 people, nine of whom are nominated by the President, similar to a Supreme Court judge. President Biden appointed former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in March. The two other members of the board are the Postmaster General and the Deputy Postmaster General. Vance, a liberal Democrat, believes that Biden’s goal is to remove Trump-appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who implemented measures that led to serious mail delivery delays and backlogs, particularly in swing states during the 2020 election. The appointment of new members to the board is seen as a step towards replacing DeJoy.
A federal judge recently rejected a Republican challenge to a Mississippi law that allows the counting of mail-in ballots up to five days after an election, as long as they are postmarked on or before Election Day. The Republican National Committee has claimed that postal voting disproportionately harms Republican voters, who are less likely to vote by mail. This issue is particularly important as the 2024 presidential election is expected to be a tight race. Vice President Kamala Harris has seen a significant boost in her approval ratings, while former President Donald Trump’s ratings have fallen in a recent poll.
The appointment of new members to the U.S. Postal Service board of governors is crucial in shaping the future of the postal service and ensuring the protection of mail-in ballots. President Biden’s nomination of individuals like Val Demings and William Zollars is viewed as a strategic move to replace Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, whose actions have been criticized for causing mail delivery delays and backlogs. The political struggle within the postal service reflects broader concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the importance of ensuring that all votes are counted in a timely manner.
The recent rejection of a Republican challenge to a Mississippi law allowing the counting of mail-in ballots after an election highlights ongoing debates about the impact of postal voting on different political parties. Republicans have raised concerns that mail-in ballots disproportionately favor Democratic Party candidates, while Democrats argue that such ballots are essential for ensuring widespread voter participation. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, these issues are likely to remain at the forefront of political discourse, with efforts to protect mail-in ballots and maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
