Judge orders U.S. Postal Service to find, send unmailed ballots to meet Election Day deadlines

A record number of mail-in ballots has created a challenge for the U.S. mail system.

Published: November 3, 2020 2:33pm

Updated: November 3, 2020 3:13pm

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Postal Service to search mail facilities for undelivered ballots, then send them as quickly as possible to their state-run destinations to make Election Day deadlines.

The order was made by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington, D.C.

Sullivan has presided over several lawsuits regarding USPS mail-in ballot delays, according to The Hill newspaper. He gave the postal service until 3 p.m. on Tuesday to "ensure that no ballots have been held up" in regions that have been slow to process them, The Hill also reported.