Rep. Hicks-Hudson responds to Friday Night shake-up at the U.S. Postal Service

COLUMBUS—State Representative Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) today responded to disturbing news of mail delays, hiring freezes, and questionable management changes at the U.S. Postal Service. She recently sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) to address postal delays in Lucas County. Nearly 100 Lucas County residents expressed to Hicks-Hudson that they had been experiencing postal delays that result in late bill payments and other disruptions to their lives.

Said Rep. Hicks-Hudson:

“I am fighting for people to have continued, timely access to essential postal services. It is a lifeline to everything from their medication to their ballots. There is more disturbing news every day of attacks on the United State Postal Service. It started with rumors that mail was stacking up at local distribution centers. Next, I heard from over 100 constituents and neighbors that their mail was delayed. Now, the President and his million-dollar donor and new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are removing experienced postal operations employees from their posts while the Postal Service faces an enormous challenge with the upcoming election and an expected record number of absentee ballots. We must not let the Postal Service be sabotaged from within.”

In her letter, Hicks-Hudson also noted her concern that these postal delays may hamper vote-by-mail efforts for the November election, especially if ballots do not arrive to voters in a timely fashion or are not returned to the Boards of Election in time to be counted. 

The letter asks the Postmaster General to reevaluate current mail services and to adequately staff and equip mail distribution centers to allow postal carriers to effectively complete their routes.

Editor’s Note: Letter attached.

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Rep. Hicks-Hudson responds to Friday Night shake-up at the U.S. Postal Service (PDF)