Mail Service Delays Could Impact Absentee Ballots in Floyd

Continuing issues within the United States Postal Service have prompted Floyd County’s elections director to encourage absentee voters to deliver their ballot to the elections office drop box to ensure delivery.

“On behalf of the Floyd County election office, we apologize for any issues you may encounter with mail delays,” said Election Supervisor Akyn Beck. “We appreciate your cooperation while we do our best to mitigate delays beyond our control and outside our scope of practice.”

The elections office is asking, if possible, that absentee voters deliver their ballots to the ballot collection drop box located at the Floyd County Election Center or elections office at 18 E. 12th St. in Rome.

Early voting continues through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at three locations: the elections center, Anthony Recreation Center and Thornton Recreation Center. As of Tuesday, 2,510 voters had cast a ballot in Floyd County.

If you have requested an absentee ballot and it has not been received, Beck is asking that you contact them via email at absentee@floydcountyga.org with your name and address or by phone at 706-291-5167.

There’s also another option.

“If you have requested an absentee ballot, you may still vote in person early or on election day,” Beck said. The roster is checked as usual to ensure your ballot has not yet been cast and you will be asked to sign off on the change in method.

The delay is not just a Floyd County problem. Elections directors across Georgia have identified postal issues as their largest concern for the upcoming primary election. Locally, that election will essentially decide the races for Floyd County’s sheriff and clerk of court. It will also solidify the 14th District Congressional and Ga. Senate District 53 races.

Over 400 ballots have been mailed for the May 21 primary and nonpartisan ballots. So far, fewer than 200 have been returned to the elections office to be counted.

The Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Palmetto has been a concern for USPS customers.

On Tuesday, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said the agency would put a restructuring plan — largely attributed for delays in Georgia — on hold until next year.

During a committee hearing last month, Sen. Jon Ossoff revealed that only 36% of inbound mail handled by the facility was being delivered on time as of the end of February, shortly after the U.S. Postal Service consolidated a group of local mail distribution offices into the single regional center.