Protect Democracy files FOIA complaint against the US Postal Service

Protect Democracy has filed a complaint and a motion for a preliminary injunction against the USPS. The organization is seeking a court order compelling a response to its Freedom of Information Act requests for information related to the agency’s preparations for vote by mail in the upcoming elections.

In the complaint, filed with the Federal District Court in the District of DC, Protect Democracy argues that “the election is less than three months away. The early voting process, including both in-person voting and the distribution of mail ballots, will begin shortly in a number of states. In a closely contested election, with a high percentage of voting by mail, widespread mail delays causing ballots to go uncounted could influence the outcome, undermining the legitimacy of the result. It is difficult to conceive of a more pressing and important policy matter worthy of public debate – all the more so in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic.”

This litigation is part of Protect Democracy’s broader effort to protect the American elections. According to John Paredes, counsel at Protect Democracy, “free and fair elections are the bedrock of our democracy, and they cannot occur without the USPS playing its vital role. The documents we requested can help provide insight as to whether the USPS is fulfilling its duty to the American people.”

The complaint can be found here.

The motion for preliminary injunction can be found here.