BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Assembly members Sean Ryan and Monica Wallace are pushing for the establishment of dedicated absentee ballot drop boxes ahead of the November elections.
The two believe that the creation of absentee ballot drop boxes can save the United States Postal Service, which has come under fire lately for its poor financial situation and it's importance in the upcoming election due to the number of expected absentee votes.
The USPS has warned that it can't guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted. President Trump, who will cast his own ballot by mail, has railed against the system, arguing that it will lead to increased voter fraud.
NOW: Assemblyman Sean Ryan and Assemblywoman Monica Wallace want to create dedicated absentee ballot drop boxes to ensure all votes get counted in NYS. pic.twitter.com/1qQwlYcVuy
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) August 17, 2020"The USPS is an essential service for our everyday lives," Ryan said. "Millions of Americans rely on the post office each and every day. From the delivery of prescription drugs for seniors and veterans...we rely on the post office for so many essential needs. In the midst of this pandemic, voting by mail is essential to keeping the population safe. But right now, we have a big problem: The American Postal Workers Union has been receiving complaints from across the nation in a slow down in mail deliveries because of changes recently implemented by the United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy."
The bill would allow every county's board of elections to create a minimum of one absentee drop box. There would be no limit on the number of absentee drop boxes. It would allow voters to fill out an absentee ballot and then deliver it to either a bolted mailbox or a mailbox inside of a building.
"No one's going to pick it up and walk away," Ryan said. "Most states have boxes that can accept between 2,500 and 5,000 ballots. They've been used across the country without any incident. They usually put them in high visibility areas with proper lighting and maybe security cameras just to make sure. You can visualize the steps of a town hall."
A similar bill was introduced in the New York State Senate by Brad Hoylman. Ryan said lawmakers are expected to return to Albany in two weeks.
Ryan cited statistics from The Washington Post that at least 671 sorting machines were removed from service, including one from Western New York.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats are calling the House back into session to address the controversy surrounding the U.S. Postal Service. A vote is expected this weekend on legislation to prohibit mail delivery changes.
