Postal Service Triples the Cost of Mailing Ballots to Voters

This is a story in progress; I’ll try to get more information soon. American Prospect is reporting that Capitol Forum (paywall) is saying Trump’s toady Postmaster General is striking another blow at voting by mail:

The Postal Service has informed states that they’ll need to pay first-class 55-cent postage to mail ballots to voters, rather than the normal 20-cent bulk rate. That nearly triples the per-ballot cost at a time when tens of millions more will be delivered. The rate change would have to go through the Postal Regulatory Commission and, undoubtedly, litigation. But the time frame for that is incredibly short, as ballots go out very soon. [emphasis added]

And of course, states are already in deep financial trouble because of the pandemic and the GOP’s refusal to help them out.

Saturday, Aug 8, 2020 · 3:31:40 PM +00:00 · Dan K

A bit more coming out on this:

New: Postal Service Could ~Triple the Cost of Mail in Ballots. The plan would cost states millions, having to pay 55 cents to send a ballot to voters rather than 20 cents under current rules. Proposal quietly working its way through

@USPS. From us  now@Capitol_Forum

And from Law & Crime:

It has been reported that Louis DeJoy, the current Postmaster General under the Donald Trump administration, has floated a proposal to increase the price of postage for mail-in ballots from 20 cents to 55 cents. This is important not only because of the financial impact the increase could have on states and their voters, but also because it calls attention to the proposed spike in postage as a potentially unconstitutional poll tax.