Industry Update: Letter from Steve Monteith
On August 18th, 2020 Steve Monteith, USPS® Chief Customer & Marketing Officer and Executive V.P., published a letter on the subject of Election Mail and COVID-19. The main focus of the letter was to lay out recommendations for Mail Service Providers and printers to facilitate the timely delivery of Election Mail.
The central concern is centered on the transit time and delivery speed of mail in ballots, and the letter outlines 9 recommendations from the USPS regarding this issue. Points 1-3 stress the importance of voters requesting their absentee ballots at least 15 days prior to Election Day, and to have them submitted in the mail at least a week before the election. Points 4-9 discuss best practices for election mail visibility including use of the Official Election Mail Logo on qualifying pieces and mailpieces design.
Overall, Mr. Monteith reinforces the fact that the mail remains a “secure, efficient, and effective means for citizens and campaigns to participate in the electoral process” and that the USPS is proud to play such a key role in the nation’s democratic process.
