IMMEDIATE ADOPTION
Number
200620
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. RAINEY
Title
Resolution expressing support for the State of Wisconsin’s position in the lawsuit entitled State of Washington, et al., vs. Donald J. Trump, et al., challenging recent changes to the United States Postal Service.
Analysis
This resolution expresses the City of Milwaukee’s support for the State of Wisconsin’s position in a multi-state lawsuit filed against President Donald Trump, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the United States Postal Service, challenging policy and operational changes to the Postal Service in advance of the 2020 November election.
Body
Whereas, The COVID-19 public health emergency has added a number of challenges to voter participation, including difficulties in maintaining social distancing at voting sites and protecting both voters and poll workers from potential disease transmission; and
Whereas, A desire to avoid in-person voting has led to a widespread increase in the number of voters seeking to cast mail-in ballots through the U.S. postal system as permitted by state and local election regulations; and
Whereas, Many states and election officials have taken steps to make mail-in voting easier and more widely available, and have promoted mail-in voting as a safe means of participating in the 2020 November election while avoiding the health risks associated with in-person voting; and
Whereas, Beginning in June 2020, the U.S. Postal Service, responsible for delivering what is predicted to be a substantially increased volume of mail-in ballots across the country, issued a number of policy changes that would eliminate or alter operational practices critical to the timely delivery of all mail, including mail-in ballots; and
Whereas, These changes include the removal of hundreds of collection boxes and high-speed sorting machines, reducing overtime, prohibiting late and extra trips, an ill-timed pilot program overhauling the mail delivery system in more than 400 locales, and stepping away from a long-standing policy of ensuring election mail delivery within 1-3 days; and
Whereas, The Postal Service’s policy and operational changes have resulted in serious delays in mail delivery across the country; and
Whereas, Mail delivery delays are particularly burdensome for seniors, the medically vulnerable, residents of rural areas and others who rely on the Postal Service for delivery of critical supplies; and
Whereas, If the Postal Service’s policy and operational changes are not reversed immediately, there can be no doubt that election mail delivery will be delayed as well; and
Whereas, Delays in election mail delivery could throw mail-in ballot counting into chaos, delay election results, and potentially disenfranchise voters on an unheard-of scale; and
Whereas, The State of Wisconsin has joined a number of other states in filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the United States Postal Service seeking a reversal of the Postal Service’s recent policy and operational changes; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee supports the State of Wisconsin’s position in the lawsuit entitled State of Washington, et al., vs. Donald J. Trump, et al., seeking a reversal of the Postal Service’s recent policy and operational changes; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Clerk shall deliver a copy of this resolution to Governor Tony Evers, Attorney General Josh Kaul, and to each member of Milwaukee’s legislative delegation.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB176298-1
Dana J. Zelazny
August 31, 2020