Sens. Ossoff and Warnock, Georgia reps demand answers to U.S. Postal Service delays across state

The United States Postal Service is experiencing mail delays throughout Georgia, causing a surplus of issues for those who need their mail for personal, business or even legal matters.

Mail delays have raised much concern across Georgia in recent months, and elected officials have shared their grievances with the head of the U.S. Postal Service.

Mail delivery in the metro Atlanta area has been affected by the launch of the new regional processing and distribution center in Palmetto, Ga., in February 2024.

Most of the mail from local areas is sent to the distribution center to be processed, meaning that a delay in processing can affect the pace of deliveries throughout the state.

For several Georgia cities, the USPS delays only complicate their livelihood regarding how citizens vote, pay bills, run businesses and more.

In Cherokee County, absentee ballots for the primary election on May 21 are a concern due to mail delays. Election officials encourage citizens to submit absentee ballots as soon as possible so their votes count on time.

The mail delays have made some Cherokee County residents hesitant to send USPS ballots due to the postal service's slow delivery times.

In the city of Dublin, within Laurens County, small shipping businesses like Mail & More recommend that customers send packages to either UPS or FedEx over the post office.

Per a statement posted to their official Facebook:

We recommend UPS & FedEx to deliver packages in a timely manner. Packages are not scanned on the day of drop off. This is a problem with the post office. The Dublin Post Office is picking up packages and letters daily from our location.

Thank you for understanding, hopefully these issues will be cleared up soon. We will be glad to ship your packages UPS or FedEx if you would like!

In the city of Dudley, also in Laurens County, Councilmember Kyle Williams told WMAZ about the utility bills the city mailed to residents on Feb. 27.

The bills failed to reach the post office, leaving residents to question where their missing bills were. 

"When you learn that it's something outside of our control, it's just really frustrating," Williams said to WMAZ. "Especially when it's you know, an agency such as the U.S. Postal Service that's been ran so smoothly for so many years."

USPS Corporate Communications issued a statement about the mail delivery issues:

The Postal Service plays an important role in the community, and we are committed to providing the best service possible. While a vast majority of mail in the Atlanta area is being delivered in a timely manner, local management has been made aware of the concerns of some local customers regarding their mail delivery and are working quickly to resolve any issues. We sincerely express our apologies to our customers who may have experienced a deviation from our normal dependable service and appreciate their patience. Customers are reminded that, if they need assistance with mailing or shipping concerns, they have a variety of options for reaching us, including contacting a manager or supervisor at their local Post Office, calling 1-800-ASK-USPS(1-800-275-8777), or visiting our website at www.usps.com.

Last week, Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff asked USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, appointed by former President Donald Trump, for answers about the missing and delayed mail processed through the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Palmetto.

According to a March 14, 2024, press release, the mail delays can "impact families' ability to get life-saving medicine and vital mail services."

Ossoff asked two questions for DeJoy to answer:

1. What update can you provide regarding the aforementioned reported issues at the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Palmetto, including what may be the source of delays, and what actions are being taken to remedy any determined issues?
2. How is USPS currently communicating with customers in the metro Atlanta area reporting delayed and lost packages?

Under DeJoy's leadership, the USPS operational problems have continued to rise. In February 2022, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) called for the two nominees selected by President Biden to be appointed to the nine-seat USPS Board of Governors. 

According to a Feb. 4, 2022, press release statement, Whitehouse's reasons for doing so were "an urgent need for a change in leadership at the agency."

"Postmaster General DeJoy has messed around with our mail system for too long, and he's caused real harm to the Americans who rely on it," Whitehouse said. "This cannot continue."

In December 2023, most of Georgia's delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to DeJoy on the operation breakdowns throughout the state after hearing from constituents about their experiences with the mail system.

In the letter, they asked eight questions about what the USPS is doing to solve those issues.

Citizens and elected officials continue to have questions about the postal service delivery system as they look to the USPS to improve mail delivery throughout the country.

UPDATE: On Thursday, March 21, 2024, Sens. Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, along with U.S. Rep. Loudermilk (GA-11), launched a bipartisan inquiry with USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to provide a detailed explanation for alleged fraud at the Marietta Post Office last year.

 “In December 2023, the Marietta Daily Journal reported that a series of crimes occurred at this post office, including mail theft, forgery, document fraud, and check-washing. Reports of missing tax returns and pension checks are troubling, as many of our Georgia constituents rely on these checks for living expenses.”

They asked these additional questions of DeJoy:

1. What update can you provide regarding the aforementioned incidents at the Marietta Post Office? 
2. What information can you provide about the full extent of the alleged crimes committed? 
3. Is the Office of the Inspector General currently conducting an investigation into these alleged incidents? If so, how long is this investigation expected to last? 
4. How is USPS currently communicating with victims about their concerns?  
5. What resources are being made available to victims of these crimes? 
6. What steps, if any, are being taken towards restitution for the victims? =

This is a developing story.