Wyden Statement on Proposed Closure of Mail Processing Facilities in Bend, Pendleton, Eugene and Salem
Portland, Or - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today on the U.S. Postal Service’s announcement that it plans to close mail distribution centers in Bend, Pendleton, Eugene and Salem.
“The closure of the mail processing facilities in Bend, Pendleton, Eugene and Salem will not only add unnecessary delays to the delivery of mail and put a greater burden on hard-working postal employees throughout the state, it also threatens the integrity of Oregon’s vote-by-mail system. These closures will make it unclear how long it will take mail ballots to travel from central and eastern Oregon and the Willamette Valley to the Portland area for processing and then back to the appropriate local election officials. In Oregon, all ballots are cast by mail and in a presidential election year, where more vote-by-mail ballots are expected to be cast, not knowing how long it will take to process those ballots could disproportionately affect rural voters. Closing these facilities carries many unintended consequences. It is not a risk worth taking.”
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