Postal Service Receives about 8,000 Absentee Ballots this Weekend from Broward and West Palm Beach Counties Days Before the Election

Many Ballots Unsealed and Some Destined for Out-of-State Addresses

Story Summary:

Election troubles continue in South Florida as Election officials in Broward and West Palm Beach Counties deliver some 8,000 absentee ballots to the Postal Service for delivery just three days before the election. On Saturday, Broward County election officials sent over 2,400 ballots to USPS for delivery and West Palm Beach sent about 5,600. Adding to the problems, many of the ballots were destined for out-of-state addresses making it unlikely that those who ordered the absentee ballots could receive and return them in time to cast their votes on Election Day.

What’s more, many of the Broward County absentee ballots arrived unsealed putting them at risk of falling from the envelopes. Postal employees hand sealed those ballots to make sure they got out the door Saturday night.

Postal officials nationwide report that their employees have been working throughout the weekend to prepare mailings for Monday delivery. Despite large campaign mail volumes that continued to enter our system during the weekend, postal managers report that this mail is moving smoothly to local post offices and there are no delays or backlogs.

B-Roll Includes

• Broward County Board of Elections van arrives at Ft. Lauderdale processing and distribution facility at about 1:30 PM, Saturday October 30 (shot 10/30/04)
• Over 2,400 absentee ballots arrive for processing and distribution (shot 10/30/04)
• Some ballots destined for out-of-state addresses (shot 10/30/04)
• Close-up of envelopes postmarked October 30, 2004 (shot 10/30/04)
• Many ballots arrived unsealed leaving postal employees to tape them by hand (shot 10/30/04)
• Sound bite from Gerald McKiernan, U.S. Postal Service Spokesman (shot 10/30/04)
• Sound bite from Jann Miller, Acting Station Manager in Pompano Beach, FL (shot 10/30/04)
• Postal Service employees taking in absentee ballots for processing (shot 10/29/04)
• Absentee ballots being loaded onto trucks for delivery (shot 10/29/04)
• Absentee ballots being delivered to customer (shot 10/29/04)

VIDEO PROVIDED BY: The U.S. Postal Service