AR157

An Assembly Resolution honoring the historic role that the United States Postal Service and its employees have played in American democracy.

Whereas, The United States (US) Postal Service has played a crucial role in American history, evolving from a fledgling colonial mail service into a vital federal agency that supplies every address in this country with critical materials; and

Whereas, Founded on July 26, 1775, the US postal system was established by the Second Continental Congress with Benjamin Franklin appointed as its first Postmaster General; and

Whereas, Over the last 250 years, the US postal system has grown along with the nation, expanding from 75 post offices serving a population of almost 4 million people in 1789 to more than 31,000 post offices serving more than 342 million Americans today; and

Whereas, Today, the US Postal Service employs more than 500,000 people who are responsible for transporting more than 112 billion pieces of mail annually, rain or shine, using everything from planes to mules to deliver mail to more than 168 million residential and business addresses; and

Whereas, Among the many essential pieces of mail delivered by the US Postal Service are election materials, including voter registration applications and mail-in ballots that enable voters to participate in the democratic process whether they find themselves unable to vote in person due to disability or illness or because they are far from home while in military service; and

Whereas, The US Postal Service has been handling election-related mail in one form or another since 1813 when Pennsylvania, followed shortly thereafter by New Jersey, authorized soldiers to vote absentee during the War of 1812; and

Whereas, States widely adopted absentee voting during the Civil War, relying on the US Postal Service to deliver tally sheets to the front lines of the conflict and return them to soldiers’ home districts to be counted; and

Whereas, Vote by mail became standard for military and overseas voters during World War II and options were expanded to the civilian population throughout the 20th century, with a number of states authorizing railroad workers, persons out of state on business, and those with illnesses or disabilities to vote by mail-in ballot; and

Whereas, In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Postal Service was instrumental to the democratic process, allowing Americans to stay safe and healthy at home as letter carriers and postal service employees transported more than 65 million votes cast by mail-in ballot during the presidential election; and

Whereas, Despite this extraordinary volume, the US Postal Service delivered these ballots from elections officials to voters in an average of 2.1 days and returned voted ballots to elections officials in an average of 1.6 days; and

Whereas, US Postal Service employees engage with elections officials throughout the year to ensure that mail-in ballot envelopes are compatible with automated sorting equipment and that distinctive logos are applied to mail-in ballots to assist postal workers with identifying and prioritizing election materials, while also helping voters to distinguish official mail from political advertising; and

Whereas, In the weeks leading up to an election, US Postal Service employees undertake additional extraordinary measures, including extra deliveries and collections, special pick-ups, and specialized mail sorting procedures to expedite delivery of mail-in ballots; and

Whereas, US Postal Service employees are dedicated public servants who connect communities, deliver essential materials, and ensure that even the most isolated citizens have the opportunity to vote in the United States of America; and

Whereas, The US Postal Service has become not only a vital lifeline to Americans across the country, but a foundational institution in American democracy; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House recognizes and honors the longstanding contributions that the United States Postal Service and its employees have made to American democracy.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service, the New Jersey District Manager for the United States Postal Service, and every member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution recognizes and honors the contributions that the United States (US) Postal Service and its employees have made to American democracy.

The US Postal Service has played a crucial role in American history, evolving from a fledgling colonial mail service into a vital federal agency that supplies every address in this country with critical materials. Founded on July 26, 1775, the US postal system was established by the Second Continental Congress with Benjamin Franklin appointed as its first Postmaster General.

Over the last 250 years the US postal system has grown along with the nation, expanding from 75 post offices serving a population of almost 4 million people in 1789 to more than 31,000 post offices serving more than 342 million Americans today. Today, the US Postal Service employs more than 500,000 people who are responsible for transporting more than 112 billion pieces of mail annually, rain or shine, using everything from planes to mules to deliver mail to more than 168 million residential and business addresses.

Among the many essential pieces of mail delivered by the US Postal Service are election materials, including voter registration applications and mail-in ballots that enable voters to participate in the democratic process whether they find themselves unable to vote in person due to disability or illness or because they are far from home while in military service.

The US Postal Service has been handling election-related mail in one form or another since 1813 when Pennsylvania, followed shortly thereafter by New Jersey, authorized soldiers to vote absentee during the War of 1812. Vote by mail became standard for military and overseas voters during World War II and options were expanded to the civilian population throughout the 20th century, with a number of states authorizing railroad workers, persons out of state on business, and those with illnesses or disabilities to vote by mail-in ballot.

In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Postal Service was instrumental to the democratic process, allowing Americans to stay safe and healthy at home as letter carriers and postal service employees transported more than 65 million votes cast by mail-in ballot during the presidential election.

US Postal Service employees engage with elections officials throughout the year to ensure that mail-in ballot envelopes are compatible with automated sorting equipment and that distinctive logos are applied to mail-in ballots to assist postal workers with identifying and prioritizing election materials, while also helping voters to distinguish official mail from political advertising. In the weeks leading up to an election, US Postal Service employees undertake additional extraordinary measures, including extra deliveries and collections, special pick-ups, and specialized mail sorting procedures to expedite delivery of mail-in ballots.

The US Postal Service has become not only a vital lifeline to Americans across the country, but a foundational institution in American democracy. US Postal Service employees are dedicated public servants who connect communities, deliver essential materials, and ensure that even the most isolated citizens have the opportunity to vote in the United States of America.