As Leflore County Circuit Clerk Elmus Stockstill’s office deals with changes regarding the U.S. Postal Service, he assures voters that their ballots will be counted.
The U.S. Postal Service issued a warning recently that it cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted, even if mailed by state deadlines.
However, in a statement Tuesday, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said, “The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall. Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic, we will deliver the nation’s election mail on time and within our well-established service standards.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended mailing ballots, saying it limits exposure to the virus at the polls, but President Donald Trump has said he opposes wide-scale voting by mail because of the risk of fraud.
Trump cast an absentee ballot in Florida.
Stockstill said he is “somewhat” nervous about how changes at the postal service may affect ballot collection.
“Being the circuit clerk, you want to make sure each vote that is cast in Leflore County is counted,” he said. “We want to make sure everything is done properly.”
He said most of his direct orders in terms of the upcoming election have been related to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he has been working hard with his staff to make sure everything is done properly with those health and safety procedures. However, he said that those voting by mail in Leflore County can be sure that their votes will be counted.
In past elections, “we haven’t had any major problems with mail-in ballots or absentee ballots,” Stockstill said.
He also added that his office goes through the entire procedure with constituents to make sure they know how to vote properly.
“We supply them with the rules when they get the ballot and application, so when they don’t have a full understanding they can give us a call,” he said.
David Walton, spokesman from the U.S. Postal Service, said the organization makes sure that those involved in local elections understand all voting procedure.
“The Postal Service is committed to delivering Election Mail in a timely manner. We employ a robust and proven process to ensure proper handling of all Election Mail, including ballots,” Walton said.
“This includes close coordination and partnerships with election officials at the local and state levels.”
Mississippi, which received a D grade from the Brookings Institution for its vote-by-mail access during the pandemic, is one of few states still requiring an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot.
According to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office, “some registered voters are eligible to vote by an absentee ballot because of age, health, work demands, temporary relocation for educational purposes, or their affiliation with the U.S. Armed Forces.”
Mississippi legislators made little changes to these procedures even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Earlier this month, the American Civil Liberties Union and Mississippi Center for Justice filed a lawsuit asking a judge to clarify that voters concerned about COVID-19 can vote absentee for the November election.
• Contact Adam Bakst at 581-7233 or abakst@gwcommonwealth.com. Twitter: @AdamBakst_GWCW
