CLOVIS (KMJ) — USPS has blamed “human error” for effectively blocking a Fresno County woman from casting her ballot
Nathan Newman said he and his mother, who live next door to each other in the Clovis area, both sent their mail-in ballots before election day – but hers reappeared.
“She received it back in the mail ‘return to sender, no such number.’ Which to me doesn’t make sense because the address is printed on the mail-in ballot envelope.”
The ballot was stamped and sent approximately a week and a half before Election Day, November 6th, and was returned on November 26th. The law states that, in order to be counted, a vote-by-mail ballot needs to be postmarked no later than Election Day, returned to a polling place, or physically taken to one of the county’s designated drop off boxes before the polls close.
Fresno County’s Registrar of Voters told KMJ News that it is illegal to include a ballot that was received too late.
“Obviously she didn’t get a chance to vote,” said Newman. “[My mother’s] vote really didn’t count in this election. It’s just disappointing.
“She feels that her rights got taken away and she doesn’t understand why it got sent back.”
In a statement, USPS said the ballot was processed in a non-mechanical operation and was returned due to “human error.”
“The address on the mail piece is correct but unfortunately it was returned to the sender,” wrote Communications Programs Specialist Meiko Patton.
“We are currently reviewing our processes of how mail is returned at that particular delivery unit to prevent this type of incident from reoccurring in the future. We sincerely apologize for this occurrence.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
