Postal Service highlights ballot delivery as oversight hearing nears
It’s been a mixed (mail) bag for the United States Postal Service this week, as USPS delivered some positive news Monday, Dec. 2, concerning its efforts during election season. However, the next day, Congress notified the agency of an oversight hearing to get answers on its performance and efficiency.
According to its newly-released Post-Election Analysis Report, the Postal Service processed more than 99 million ballots during the 2024 general election period starting Sept. 1. According to USPS, 99.88% of ballots were delivered to election officials within seven days. The USPS says they delivered 97.73% of ballots within three days.
On average, the agency said it delivered ballots from voters to election officials within one day. All in all, mail carriers delivered 3.37 billion pieces of political and election mail this year.
USPS said “extraordinary measures” were implemented to swiftly move ballot mail entered close to or on election day. These measures included extra deliveries and collections, special pick-ups and specialized sorting plans at processing facilities.
The Postal Service’s Post-Election Analysis Report comes as the agency undergoes a 10-year transformation plan called “Delivering for America.” USPS is looking to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, and dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories as it aims to eliminate tens of billions of dollars in predicted losses over the next decade.
If we do nothing more, we remain on the path to either a government bailout or the end of this great organization as we know it.
United States Postal Service
The progress on these initiatives will be the focus of a House Oversight Committee hearing on Dec. 10. Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Tuesday, Dec. 3, that the committee will receive an update from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
In a statement, Comer said, in part, “While the Postal Service’s finances and performance have seen some improvement under Postmaster General DeJoy’s 10-year plan, there is still work to be done. Many families and small businesses around the country are still experiencing poor USPS service, resulting in unacceptable delays, and this Committee has a responsibility to examine its operations to ensure hardworking American taxpayers are receiving a service they can rely on.”
Last month, the Postal Service reported a net loss of $9.5 billion for its fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. Since 2007, the agency has lost more than $100 billion.
The Postal Service warns it must continue to find ways to cut costs and increase revenue. As stated in its updated “Deliver to America” plan, “If we do nothing more, we remain on the path to either a government bailout or the end of this great organization as we know it.”
In July, the Postal Service raised the price of first-class mail stamps from 68 cents to 73 cents. They also planned a price hike twice a year through 2027. However, in September, the agency vowed there would be no increase in stamp prices this January.
That would be the first time in two years we won’t see an increase in stamp prices to begin a new year. There’s something to write home about.
Colorado wildlife group praises defeat of effort to ban big cat hunting in the state
A Colorado ballot measure aiming to prohibit the hunting of certain wild cats has been defeated, drawing praise from a wildlife conservation group. Proposition 127, which sought to ban the hunting of bobcats, lynx, and mountain lions in the state, was put to voters this November after receiving enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Opponents of the measure argued its language was overly broad. They said it would essentially constitute a ban on all forms of hunting in the state. They also claim enacting legislation could cost the state millions. Critics said there are already existing Colorado laws that already cover much of what the proposition sought to accomplish.
Supporters of this proposed wild cat hunting ban, however, viewed it as a necessary safeguard for protecting Colorado’s native wildlife.
Researchers from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission found “no evidence” of declining populations of bobcats or mountain lions under current regulated hunting practices.
Additionally, while lynx remain an endangered species, Colorado’s reintroduction efforts have “successfully established a healthy population” in the state.
The Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project (CWCP), which opposed Proposition 127, hailed its rejection by voters.
The organization claims the measure’s passing would have “upturned the state’s 125-year commitment to science-based wildlife management.” They said the state’s refusal to adopt it “exemplifies the shared recognition of the need for curtailing wildlife decisions made in a vacuum at the ballot box.”
“The electoral outcome demonstrates the public’s commitment to ensuring that wildlife management decisions continue to be developed and administered by wildlife professionals at Colorado Parks and Wildlife,” said Gaspar Perricone, chair of CWCP. “We are pleased to see that the standards of evaluation that contribute to a holistic approach to wildlife management and ecosystem health will remain in place for the foreseeable future.”
Meanwhile, advocates for Proposition 127 have noted they aren’t giving up despite the electoral outcome.
Proponents of the measure are now reportedly engaging with Colorado’s Parks and Wildlife Commission. They hope to explore alternative pathways to implement aspects of the legislation.
The CWCP expressed concerns about these efforts. The group is urging the state government agency to respect the voters’ decision.
California is still counting ballots. What’s taking so long?
California still has 265,000 ballots left to count, 22 days after the election. Due to the drawn out process, the nation is waiting for the results of a House of Representatives race that will have a major impact on the balance of power.
In California’s House District 13, Democratic challenger Adam Gray is leading Republican incumbent Rep. John Duarte by 182 votes. That was as of the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 27, when 99% of the ballots had been counted.
If Duarte wins, Republicans will have a 221-214 majority. If Gray wins, Republicans will have a 220-215 majority. But when you take into consideration Republicans who are joining the Trump administration, the GOP total could be closer to 217. That means the House will nearly be an even split.
Why is taking California so long?
State law gives county election officials 30 days to count every ballot and conduct a required audit. During that time, election officials count ballots received before, on and after Election Day.
California law requires all ballots be counted as long as they were postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days of the election.
California also has what’s called a ballot cure process, which allows voters to fix a mistake that would otherwise make their ballot invalid, such as an improper signature.
It’s a big process for a state with 22 million registered voters and 58 counties.
Trump staffer says Pa. election officials will get jail time over recount
President-elect Donald Trump’s co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita is predicting election officials in Pennsylvania will face jail time after going against a Supreme Court ruling and counting mail-in ballots with either incorrect or missing dates. LaCivita posted to X, “They will go to jail – count on it.”
Pennsylvania is in the middle of a recount with Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey refusing to concede the race against Republican Senator-elect Dave McCormick.
Before the election, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled mail-in ballots that lacked required signatures or dates couldn’t be included in the official tally of votes.
Democratic-run election boards in Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery counties opposed the ruling. All three counties voted to include the ballots in the recount.
On Monday, Nov. 18, the state Supreme Court ordered the counties to abide by its previous rulings to not count the disputed mail-in ballots.
Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro asked the election boards to respect the court’s decision.
“The rule of law matters in this commonwealth, and as I have always said, it is critical for counties and officials in both parties to respect it with both their rhetoric and their actions,” Shapiro said in a statement.
As of the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 19, McCormick leads Casey by more than 17,000 votes.
Gaetz resigns from Congress after being picked as Trump’s attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump has made his selection for attorney general: Rep. Matt Gaetz. Why it might be an uphill battle for the Florida congressman to get confirmed. And we now know in a clean sweep, Republicans won control of the House of Representatives. Who GOP lawmakers voted to lead them in the next term. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.
Gaetz resigns from Congress after being picked as Trump’s attorney general
President-elect Trump selected more names for key cabinet positions on Wednesday, Nov. 13, including nominating Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general. That choice is being met with opposition from some Senate Republicans — who would need to confirm the pick.
“I think out of deference to us, he issued his resignation letter effective immediately,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said of Gaetz’s decision. “That caught us by surprise a little bit. But I asked him what the reasoning was, and he said, ‘Well, you can’t have too many absences.’ So, under Florida state law there is about an eight-week period to select and fill a vacant seat.”
Johnson said Gaetz’s resignation started the clock for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to call for a special election to fill the vacancy, which will narrow Republicans’ slight majority in the House.
In making his nomination, Trump called Gaetz a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney…who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.”
A bipartisan House Ethics Committee is in the final stages of its own investigation into Gaetz. Gaetz told the committee in September he was done cooperating with its investigation.
His resignation would put an end to that investigation, as the Ethics Committee does not have jurisdiction over former House members.
Trump’s announcement came during the House Republicans’ closed door leadership election, with lawmakers telling several news outlets that there were “audible gasps” in the room when they heard the pick.
In response to Gaetz’s nomination, multiple senators went on record not throwing their full support behind the decision. One senator told Fox News Gaetz “will never be confirmed” and another said it “ain’t gonna happen.”
Gaetz’s office has not responded to the criticism. Gaetz himself issued a statement on social media in response to the nod from the president-elect, saying, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
Johnson wins nomination for speaker as GOP takes House majority
The landscape of Congress in the new year became clearer on Wednesday with Republicans winning enough seats to control the House. Victories in Arizona and California gave the GOP the 218 seats needed to make up the majority in the chamber.
Republicans will now have control of the House and the Senate when President-elect Trump takes office. GOP lawmakers voted on leadership in both chambers Wednesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson won the nomination to remain on the job for another two years. A full house vote will take place in January. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and GOP Whip Tom Emmer were also reelected in their leadership roles.
In the Senate, Republican John Thune of South Dakota was elected as the next majority leader. The fourth-term senator will replace longtime leader Mitch McConnell.
Pennsylvania Senate race heads to a recount
While Republicans have won enough seats to take control of Congress, Pennsylvania’s Senate race is headed for a recount as Democratic incumbent Bob Casey refused to concede to his Republican rival, Dave McCormick, despite the race being called by the Associated Press.
Across our Commonwealth, close to 7 million people cast their votes in a free and fair election.
The American democratic process was born in Pennsylvania and that process will play out. pic.twitter.com/R2RirIa09j
While provisional and mail-in ballots are still being counted, unofficial results show the race to be within the one-half of 1% margin which automatically triggers a recount under state law. Currently, McCormick leads Casey by less than 30,000 votes.
Despite Casey refusing to concede, McCormick was on Capitol Hill Wednesday for freshman orientation, where he and other new lawmakers met with outgoing Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Suspect dead after explosion outside Brazil’s Supreme Court
Security concerns are heightened in Brazil after an explosion outside the country’s Supreme Court less than a week before G20 leaders are set to meet in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil’s Supreme Court is in the nation’s capital, Brasilia about 700 miles northwest of Rio.
Authorities said a man killed himself while detonating explosives in Three Powers Plaza, which is home to all three branches of Brazil’s government, after unsuccessfully trying to get into the Supreme Court with the explosives.
The vice-governor of the country’s federal district said the suspect blew up a car near Congress before heading to the Supreme Court. Police have not identified the attacker, but they believe he was working alone.
Teen ‘serial swatter’ behind hundreds of hoax threats pleads guilty
A prolific teenage “serial swatter” from California, has pleaded guilty to making hundreds of hoax calls about mass shootings and bomb threats to schools, religious institutions and government officials nationwide.
The Department of Justice announced Wednesday Alan Filion, 18, pleaded guilty in a Florida federal courtroom to four counts of making interstate threats. He faces up to 20 years in prison, as each charge carries a five-year maximum sentence.
Officials said from August 2022 to January of this year, Filion made more than 375 swatting and threat calls in various parts of the country including Maryland, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Washington, Texas and Florida.
“Swatting” is when someone makes false accusations to send a large number of law enforcement rushing to a location where there is essentially nothing going on.
Why Arizona and Nevada are taking days to count ballots
On Election Day in Arizona, the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. Two days later, only 69% of the ballots have been counted in the Grand Canyon State. Nevada is also still counting ballots, with 90% of the vote tabulated.
Although President-elect Donald Trump seems to have a path to victory in both states, key senate races still hang in the balance.
Why does Arizona take days to count and process ballots?
It comes down to the returned early ballots that need to be processed and scanned to verify voters’ signatures before those votes can be counted.
Early ballots dropped off on Election Day cannot be counted until after Election Day because of the signature verification process. This can take days, depending on the number of voters who dropped off early ballots on Election Day.
Arizona law also allows a five-day curing period for county election officials to “ensure only valid signatures are counted.”
“State law provides voters with questionable signatures five calendar days after the 2024 general election to confirm their signature,” elections officials said.
The law also lets political parties conduct a random hand count of ballots.
County officials in Arizona cannot declare election results until Nov. 11 at the earliest, according to Arizona law. The secretary of state has until Nov. 25 to canvass those results.
The Arizona Clean Elections Commission said the process is designed to protect the integrity and accuracy of the vote count.
To help speed up the process, lawmakers passed a bill in February 2024 allowing voters dropping off their early ballots on Election Day to stand in line and show their ID. This would allow their signatures to be verified immediately, bypassing the need for later verification.
However, more than 225,000 early ballots were dropped off on Election Day in Maricopa County alone.
Maricopa County election officials had estimated before Election Day it would take at least 10 days to count all ballots.
Nevada’s ballot counting process
In Nevada, state law allows mail-in ballots with no postmark or an unclear postmark to be counted until 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. Ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted until 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.
Nevada state law also permits a signature curing process through Nov. 12.
In 2020, Nevada did not declare now-President Joe Biden the winner until four days after Election Day.
Voting hours extended after ballot scanner issue in Pennsylvania county
Technical issues with ballot scanners caused significant delays at polling places in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, a key swing state in this election. As a result, a judge has extended voting hours, with polls now set to close at 10 p.m. EST instead of the usual 8 p.m.
The county’s elections board filed an emergency petition for the extension after a software malfunction prevented voters from scanning their completed ballots. The issue began when polls opened and persisted for several hours despite attempts to fix the problem.
Voters were instructed Tuesday morning to place their ballots in an auxiliary bin, a separate compartment of the ballot box, according to Election Systems & Software (ES&S), the company that provides voting machines to the county. Those ballots will be counted after polls close.
A spokeswoman for ES&S told The Wall Street Journal that the issue wasn’t caused by a cyberattack but appeared to be related to the paper ballots.
Cambria County, located about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, has a population of around 133,000, including 85,000 registered voters. The county typically leans Republican.
“We understand that there are some line delays on the ground,” Whatley said. “We need you to stay in line. We need you to fill out your ballot in full and deliver it. Our Pennsylvania lawyers are all over this issue and will ensure fairness and accuracy in the process.”
The Pennsylvania Department of State issued a statement confirming it was in contact with Cambria County officials, adding, “Voters are continuing to vote by paper ballot, in accordance with normal operations, while the county resolves the issue with in-precinct scanning.”
Voters in Mass., Ore. weigh ‘magic mushroom’ ballot measures
Voters in Massachusetts have a decision to make about “magic mushrooms.” At the same time, voters in Oregon will soon decide if they’ll change their laws related to the psychedelic fungi.
If “Question 4” on the ballot passes in Massachusetts, it would allow people 21 or older to have, grow or use psilocybin. It would also create a commission and advisory board to regulate the licensing for it and a plan for taxing sales.
Supporters of the measures say psychedelics can help people struggling with anxiety, depression and PTSD.
Opponents say these substances can be dangerous to certain people including those with schizophrenia and advocate for them to be given under medical supervision.
Massachusetts would be the third state to legalize psychedelics following Colorado and Oregon.
But now Oregon is weighing that decision.
Four years after voters there approved the regulated use of mushrooms and more than a year after the first people began using them, 16 cities are asking voters to ban psilocybin businesses.
There are more than 30 licensed centers where people can get mushrooms.
Some opted out of the program in a local measure in 2022.
According to John Hopkins researchers, a substantial majority of people suffering cancer-related anxiety and depression found relief for up to six months from a single large dose of psilocybin.
What share of Americans secretly vote different from their partners?
A new YouGov poll reveals that a significant number of Americans vote differently from their partners in private. According to the survey, 1 in 8 women and 1 in 10 men say they’ve cast ballots for a different candidate than their significant others believe.
In a year marked by intense political polarization, the poll shows that 40% of women think their partners support Donald Trump, while 38% of these women plan to vote for Kamala Harris. Among men, 46% believe their spouses are voting for Trump, while 40% personally intend to support Harris.
Getty Images
National polling from YouGov shows that Trump holds a lead among men, with 5% more voting for him. Meanwhile, Harris holds a lead among women, with 7% more of them voting for the candidate, highlighting the gender-based divide.
The survey also found that 5% of women have changed their votes to avoid conflict with a partner, underscoring how relationships can influence voting choices.
When it comes to family support, women were more likely to report that almost all of their immediate family members back Harris, while men reported stronger family support for Trump. The data suggests that while partners may discuss politics at home, some opt to keep their final choices private, relying on the secrecy of the voting booth.
Harris, Trump look to win the West with 4 days until Election Day
As the presidential campaign heads into the final weekend, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris swing through the western U.S. to sway undecided voters. And crews in Spain search for survivors after a year’s worth of rain fell in just hours. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.
Harris, Trump look to win the West with days until Election Day
With just four days to go until Election Day and more than 65 million ballots already cast, the candidates are making their final stops on the campaign trail. On Thursday, Oct. 31, both nominees visited the western United States to make their case.
Republican nominee former President Donald Trump spoke at campaign events in New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona, while Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris held rallies in Arizona and Nevada.
At an event in Glendale, Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump repeated his stance of there being “an enemy within” the United States — a comment Harris has criticized in her speeches.
“If you have a smart president, somebody that knows what’s happening, you’re going to be fine,” Trump said, “But we do have an enemy from within. We have some very bad people, and those people are also very dangerous. They would like to take down our country. They’d like to have our country be a nice communist country or a fascist in any way they can, and we have to be careful of that.”
In Henderson, Nevada, Trump said Harris would not be able to handle the presidency, calling her “a child” when it comes to understanding the economy. He also announced former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be working on “health and women’s health” if he’s reelected.
While in Reno, Nevada, Harris continued her warnings to supporters about another Trump presidency, calling trump “increasingly unstable” and “obsessed with revenge.”
“In less than 90 days, either he or I will be sitting in the Oval Office, and listen, here’s what we can imagine, right, we’ve all seen on TV — you’ve seen the Oval Office — just visually imagine what that day will be,” Harris said. “Because, if elected, Donald Trump on day one would walk into that office with an enemies list. When I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list on behalf of you.”
The vice president told the crowd that people are “exhausted with Trump’s rhetoric.” She also appealed to female voters, criticizing Trump’s comments that he would “protect women” saying, “Trump does not respect the freedom of women.”
Harris’ Nevada rally was interrupted by protesters at times, but the vice president said it was “OK” and “we’re fighting for the right to be heard.”
Friday, Nov. 1, both candidates will hold rallies in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the final weekend of the 2024 election cycle begins.
‘Avengers,’ LeBron endorse Harris; Jake Paul backs Trump
Some famous faces put their names behind their pick for president on Thursday. Members of the cast of Marvel’s “Avengers” film franchise assembled to show their support for Vice President Harris while YouTube star Jake Paul backed former president Trump.
Actors Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and others gathered together in a social media video supporting Harris. NBA superstar LeBron James also backed Harris in a post on X saying, “When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. Vote Kamala Harris.”
Social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul put his endorsement behind the Republican nominee. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Paul laid out his reasons and asked his followers to do their own research.
“Regardless of your emotion, I’m just presenting you with facts,” he said. “Do I think Donald Trump is a perfect human being? No. I don’t think anybody on this planet is a perfect human being, myself included. To be frank, I’m not concerned with Donald Trump’s ‘character flaws’ or what he’s done in the past. What I’m concerned with is how good a president is he, because that is his job and that’s what’s going to affect the people of this nation.”
Why I Am Not Suspending My Campaign Let me be clear: Despite the immense pressures and intense assaults on my campaign and character, I intend to hold the torch and finish this race – to and after November 5th! The escalating corruption of the US political system and the… pic.twitter.com/CQrcOTX9vi
West accused the Pennsylvania secretary of state of improperly keeping him off the ballot for not filing all the required paperwork. The state’s top court agreed with the secretary of state, but a federal judge said while it does seem like Pennsylvania’s rules make it harder for third-party candidates to get on the ballot, it’s too close to Election Day to re-print ballots and re-test election machines without increasing the risk of error.
Flash floods claimed the lives of at least 158 people, with 155 deaths confirmed in the eastern Valencia region alone. Spain’s minister for territorial policy said Thursday dozens of people are still missing but they don’t have an exact number of how many.
Army specialist charged in female soldier’s murder at Missouri base
Her body was found in a dumpster at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri last week. Rancy, who’s with the 5th Engineer Battalion, is also charged with obstruction.
The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, which is the primary federal law enforcement agency of the United States Army, is overseeing the probe.
The department has not specified a motive for the killing. It is also unclear if Rancy and Roque knew each other.
OpenAI adds search and summary function to ChatGPT
Google has some new competition. OpenAI has added a search function to its artificial intelligence bot ChatGPT.
Paying subscribers are now able to activate a mode on ChatGPT that makes it respond to queries by searching the internet for the latest information and summarizing what it finds. The search capabilities are powered by Microsoft’s Bing search engine and will draw information from articles by publishers OpenAI has deals with, including The Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. and the Associated Press.
While this function is only for paying subscribers for now, OpenAI said it plans to bring search to all users eventually.
