Arizona Elections Officials Rush to Correct Voter Information in USPS Postcard

“The information is not just confusing, it’s wrong.”

A mailer from the United States Postal Service with general information on how to participate in the Nov. 3 election contained a timeline for voters that does not align with voting deadlines in Arizona.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs sent out a series of tweets shortly after the mailer was delivered, clarifying what voters need to know so their vote will be counted upcoming election. Hobbs also urged to verify their voter registration.

In Arizona, the deadline to request a ballot to vote in the November election is October 23, not the 19th as indicated from the url on the postcard. 

Also, Arizona voters are asked to mail in their ballots at least seven days (not 10) before Election Day.  

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold shared a photo of the USPS postcard, saying she had just found out that those factually incorrect mailers had been mailed out to every household and P.O. Box in the country.  

What Griswold said concerned her the most was that in a number of states, including Colorado, voters don’t have to request ballots because every registered voter already receives one in the mail. Now the USPS mailer is confusing voters by asking them to request a ballot. 

Also of concern, as brought up by a reporter with The Arizona Republic, is the fact that voters in Arizona do not have to add postage to their return envelopes when mailing ballots back. 

Griswold went on to say in her Twitter thread that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy had refused to review a draft of the mailer containing important election information before it was sent out to and now voters across the country are receiving these mailers with misinformation. 

Arizonans can register to vote here. Learn more about the upcoming election at The Copper Courier’s Guide to Voting in Arizona in 2020.