Washington Guv slams Trump's threats over mail-in voting

Washington, Aug 18 Jay Inslee, governor of Washington state, has slammed President Donald Trump administration's move to limit the ability of the US Postal Service (USPS) to process mail-in ballots.

In a statement on Monday, Inslee objected against "the Trump administration's efforts to suppress the votes of the American people", while arguing that the USPS is a vital and trusted part of all communities, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Mail-in ballots are the easiest, safest, most reliable voting method there is and Washington's vote-by-mail system is proof of that. Our system has worked well for years without incident, and I am confident it will continue to ensure strong and dependable access to democracy for the people of our state.

"The USPS does not just deliver ballots but also medication, paychecks, supplies and other crucial lifelines. To cut back and restrict this service at any time is inexcusable, but during a pandemic it is downright abhorrent," Inslee said, adding that "the President should be doing less to suppress our votes, and more to suppress the coronavirus".

The Governor committed that he will do everything in his power to help ensure all people in the state have access to the full range of services offered by the USPS, especially their constitutional right to participate in state, local and federal elections.

On Sunday, the House Oversight Committee called for the chief of the country's postal service to testify before the panel about the cost-cutting overhaul to the agency, which lawmakers worried would sabotage the November 3 presidential election with the expected surging of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On August 13, Trump had threatened to block the $25 billion funding for the USPS supported by Democrats in a coronavirus relief bill passed in the House in May.

Trump said the money would assist mail-in ballots, which he has repeatedly railed against and claimed the method would cause voting fraud.

( With inputs from IANS )