USPS made mail slower to cut costs. Midterm ballots will test the system.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has slowed down mail deliveries so much that it is failing to meet even its lowered performance targets, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The Postal Service is a crucial part of American life, delivering medications, ballots, government notices, and bills, as well as helping businesses reach customers nationwide.

However, the agency's attempts to improve its financial situation are disproportionately affecting rural communities. The GAO noted that the Postal Service has added one to two days to expected delivery times for some first-class mail after shifting some transportation from air to ground in 2021. This change will impact about 24,000 post offices that are more than 50 miles from a regional processing and delivery center, particularly affecting rural Americans.

The issue comes just weeks before the midterms, when millions of voters will rely on the USPS to return ballots under state-specific deadlines. The USPS has been under pressure to overhaul the country's mail-in ballot system, particularly from the Trump administration. The Postal Service has given itself more time to deliver mail, which millions of Americans rely on for various essential services.

The GAO report highlights that the USPS is expected to fund itself primarily through postage and other revenue while providing universal service to nearly every U.S. address, even where it is not profitable. Postal officials have expressed concern over the slowing mail delivery, with some describing it as the "heart" of rural communities being taken away.

The problem, according to experts, is that when the Postal Service cuts costs to balance its books, it usually means slowing down mail delivery or eliminating post offices in certain areas. The GAO recommended that the postmaster general explain how the agency plans to improve its performance in its 2027 strategic plan update, which it agreed to do.