Michigan Residents are Worried about their Votes Counting after Mailed Ballots was Not Delivered for Days. Stephanie Wilford, who is considered High Risk for COVID-19 because of a Heart condition, Planned to Vote-by-Mail in her State Primary. But with just days left until Election Day, August 4th, the 60-year-old had Not Received her Absentee Ballot. In fact, her Public Housing Complex of 567 Residents had mysteriously Stopped Receiving any Mail for more than a Week. “I’m pissed off. We’re not getting mail for some reason,” said Wilford, who went to the Polls In-Person. “I’ve had one heart attack already, and I’m not trying to have another.”
Confusion and Frustration rippled through the Charles Horn Towers Housing Complex, Three gray concrete High-Rises in a Neighborhood still scarred by the Protests that followed the Death of George Floyd in Police Custody, as a Sudden Mail Stoppage prevented Residents from getting Absentee Ballots in Advance of their Primary.
Some blamed a Rumor of an Outbreak in the High-Rises that scared off Postal Carriers, even though the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority said just Three Residents have Tested Positive for the Virus. The U.S. Postal Service said in a Statement that it Halted Service there until it could be sure that Proper Social Distancing Measures were in place.
Although Delivery Resumed, Nine Days after Residents First Reported the Stoppage, Voters said it was too close to Election Day to feel Confident that if they put their Absentee Ballots in the Mail they would arrive in time to be Counted.
The Episode provides an Early look at the kind of Problems that could enmesh Voters across the Country in November, when an influx of Absentee Ballots and High Turnout are Expected to Collide with a Potential Surge of Coronavirus Cases. Mail Delays have been Reported in various States in recent weeks as the Postal Service has rolled back Overtime and Extra Delivery Trips under the Direction of a New Postmaster General, a Top Donor to President Trump, with NO Postal Experience.
Residents of Horn Towers are predominantly Black and Somali Speakers, with a Median Gross Annual Income of Less than $10,000, according to Housing Officials. Fliers posted at the Property by the Housing Authority said Officials were working to Resolve the Mail Problems, and urged Residents to call Local Postal Supervisor for more Information. Some who called said they were Placed On Hold for so Long that they gave up.
As with many Cities and States throughout this year’s Primaries, Minneapolis has had a Record Number of Absentee Ballot Requests for the 2020 Primary, nearly Seven times the Number Cast in the 2018 Primaries, according to City Election Officials.
South Minneapolis has seen a Surge of Voter Interest around the Competitive Race of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who rose to National Prominence as a Member of the “Squad” of Four Liberal Women of Color Elected in the 2018 Wave of Democrats who Regained Control of the House. She is Running against Antone Melton-Meaux, a Mediator and First-Time Candidate.
U.S. House · Democratic · District 13th
Election date: Tue, Aug 4th, 2020; Type: Primary
Candidate | Party | Votes | Percent of Vote
Rashida Tlaib | Democratic | 71,703 | 66.27%
Brenda Jones | Democratic | 36,493 | 33.73%
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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