Court decisions in both states say that mail-in ballots received after Election Day will not be counted careless of the postmark date. Other states allow ballots to be counted as long as they are sent on time.
Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima, Wash., ordered that starting Sunday through Nov. 10, the Postal Service must report to his court the prior day’s “all clear” status for each office and processing center in the Detroit area and a district covering most of Wisconsin.
If any ballots are found during an “all clear” course, every effort must be made to get the ballot delivered by Election Day, including First Class and Priority Mail or any other “extraordinary measures” necessary.
Priority Mail Express is an overnight service that costs a minimum of $26.35 per envelope, according to the USPS.com website.
WATCH: NFL LEGEND LAWRENCE TAYLOR ENDORSES TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT
Delivery of ballots in the Postal Service's Detroit district, for example, has dropped as low as 57% over the past week while national on-time delivery is 93% or higher, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson's office said Saturday.
WATCH: THE BEST KAMALA IMPRESSION AT A TRUMP RALLY
Both Michigan and Wisconsin are important battleground states for President Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. The president narrowly won both historically Democratic states in 2016.
Washington was among 14 states that brought an August lawsuit over reforms that U.S. Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, a Trump contributor, made when he took over last May. The other states bringing the suit are Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
WHISTLEBLOWER ALERT: INSIDER CONFESSES EPA'S FATEFUL ERRORS AMID TOXIC CHAOS IN EAST PALESTINE
Earlier this month, the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General reported that changes DeJoy made have “negatively impacted the quality and timeliness of mail delivery nationally."
Following the decision, Postal Service spokesman Dave Partenheimer said, “We take our legal obligations very seriously and (are) complying with all court orders. The Postal Service continues to implement extraordinary measures across the country to advance and expedite the delivery of the nation’s ballots."
DECEIVED AND DEPLOYED: HOW HUNDREDS OF SRI LANKANS WERE TRICKED INTO FIGHTING RUSSIA'S WAR
He noted as of Friday, Postal Service workers were allowed to use the Express Mail network to fast-track completed ballots.
He added USPS will do extra pick-ups, extra deliveries, and collect mail on Sunday ahead of the election.
DEBATE DRAMA: WILL TRUMP BAIL? 'VIEW' HOST SAYS ‘COUNT ON IT,’ DESPITE CONFIRMED DATES
The lawsuit had challenged the Postal Service's so-called “leave behind” policy, in which trucks have been leaving postal offices on time despite whether there is more mail to load.
Bastian, an Obama appointee, noted after a previous conference that Trump had repeatedly attacked mail-in voting by arguing that it can lead to voter fraud.
DeJoy insists mail-in ballots are the organization’s top priority and has agreed to pause some contentious changes he executed last summer, such as removing mailboxes and decommissioning mail sorting machines.
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
