By Allison Perrine
RED BANK – At least two dozen protestors gathered outside the borough’s Westboro post office Friday, Aug. 21 to show their support for the United States Postal Service (USPS) amid reports of delivery slow-downs across the country.
Organized by the Monmouth County chapter of Our Revolution, the rally was held in front of the red brick postal storefront at 104 Shrewsbury Ave. It was held in response to policy changes proposed by postmaster general Louis DeJoy, which some say could jeopardize mail-in voting. That included a potential reduction of employee overtime hours and eliminating a number of postal sorting machines. He has since agreed to pause those plans.
“We are here to make sure that the post office stays viable and that the election is not affected by any of the changes in the post office,” Bob Hodnett, treasurer of Our Revolution, told The Two River Times. But he added that the post office is not only in jeopardy this election season; “it’s in jeopardy of being privatized long-term.”
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, “There is no evidence that voting by mail results in significant fraud. As with in-person voting, the threat is infinitesimally small.” Studies over the years have determined there is little or no voter fraud in this country, according to the center. Hodnett agrees, adding that it’s “absolutely” fine to vote by mail and encourages others to do so, especially during a pandemic.
“Voting is the most important thing you can ever do,” said Asbury Park resident Tom Pivinski, a supporter of Our Revolution who turned out for the protest. “We have to make sure there’s no one ever trying to stamp it out, and right now it looks like there is a group of people called the Republicans who would like to do that. And we’re here to say no.”
However, Our Revolution supporter Jayne Mackta of Asbury Park said this protest was “in no way” judgmental about the post office or its service and workers. “It is the service to everyone in the United States. We’re out rallying on the good side,” she said.
Red Bank Councilwoman Kate Triggiano explained her concerns about the delays in mail services and damage done to operating machinery at postal offices and processing facilities. She said DeJoy “must resign” or be removed from his position as he blames delays on COVID-19, but “the pandemic didn’t go and walk into post offices and postal processing facilities and start ripping out the operating machinery of those places,” she said.
“I’m just as scared as everybody else about the security of our election by vote-by-mail, but I’m even more scared as to what I’m already seeing happen,” said Triggiano. “In California they reported that there’s food rotting in packages… Animals that have died while waiting to be processed.”
She noted that many Americans receive life-saving prescriptions through the postal service. However, many of those customers have reported delays in their medications, some going over a week without heart medication. “It’s unacceptable. It’s un-American. It’s not a Democratic or Republican issue; this is an issue of our democracy,” said Triggiano.
Additionally, Janis Iwanyk, a representative of the League of Women Voters in Western Monmouth County, read a prepared statement released by the organization’s CEO Virgin- ia Kase. In it she cites the USPS as “one of our nation’s most trusted institutions” as citizens nationwide rely on it to receive their bills, letters, medications and ballots – especially this year.
“The changes proposed by the postmaster general were highly concerning because of the catastrophic effect they would have on our election this year. Indeed, many voters were left wondering whether their mailed ballot would arrive in time to be counted. The resultant threat on voter confidence still lingers, making the reversal of these changes too little too late,” she said. “While we are pleased that the wide-scale disruptive changes made by the postmaster general will temporarily cease, questions remain around how to make the United States Postal Service whole again.”
While ballots can certainly be returned by mail through the USPS, there are other ways to submit them. According to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, ballots may also be dropped in drop box sites; the Monmouth County Board of Elections will install at least 10 drop boxes throughout Monmouth County specifically in the coming weeks. They can also be hand-delivered to the board of elections office in Freehold, or even on Election Day at the voter’s polling location. To learn more about voter registration in Monmouth County, visit the Monmouth County Clerk’s Election Division website at monmouthcountyvotes.com.
“Every voter deserves to participate in free, fair, and safe elections,” said Secretary of State Tahesha Way in a press release. “By sending every New Jersey voter their ballot in the mail, we are protecting the health of voters, elections workers, and our democracy.”
This article appeared in the Aug. 27-Sept. 2 issue of The Two River Times.
