COVID-19 increased mail-in voting rates dramatically across states.
But during recent elections, over 10% of mailed ballots arrived too late or on Election Day itself in Maine.
Vulnerability to Delivery Delays
- Ballots arriving on Election Day: Highest risk category
- One-day early arrivals: Also prone to rejection due to delivery timing issues
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Partisan Impact
- Non-affiliated and Democratic voters disproportionately affected by delays
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Key Implications
- Despite equal access opportunities, mail-in voting is highly susceptible to partisan advantage through postal service vulnerabilities.
- This highlights a critical vulnerability in vote-by-mail systems reliant on the USPS.
