MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The mail must get through!!!
At least some of it.
Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips says for the most part, the US Postal Service did a pretty good job handling all those absentee ballots for the August 6th election.
Pretty good isn’t good enough.
300 ballots were received after the election. Some voters say they never received their absentee ballots in the first place.
“There are certainly issues with ballots being delivered,” Phillips says. “The USPS standards for delivery? They think they are doing a wonderful job if 96% of the mail gets there. Well, that leaves 4% that doesn’t.”
She already has November on her mind, Linda Phillips does. The Elections Commissioners are scheduled to certify the August results on August 24th. And they are already receiving absentee ballot requests for the November Presidential election.
“I’m planning for 100,000,” she says. “But I just don’t know what to expect. I’ll adjust those numbers as we see the number of applicants come in over the next two months.”
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that fear of COVID-19 alone is not a valid reason to vote absentee. But the court also ruled that cancer, heart issues, obesity, diabetes, and other diseases that make someone more vulnerable to catching the disease are valid reasons.
According to Phillips, “The Supreme Court ruling says if you have underlying health conditions and it makes you more vulnerable to COVID-19, then you can check the sick or caretaker box.”
Here’s something else. No matter how early you send in requests for absentee ballots, none of them will be delivered until early October. The state wants to make sure there are no mistakes, not to mention it takes a while to print millions of ballots.
The Secretary of State in Tennessee is already advocating people vote in person and VOTE EARLY. Phillips feels the same way.
“If you’re posting on your Facebook that you’re at this restaurant,” she says, “... you’re probably not that worried about getting COVID-19, and therefore should vote in person.”
