Sunday, October 17, 2004
GOTV: Forget Double, TRIPLE-STAMP Absentee Ballots
Some very weird, and disturbing, talk over at Daily Kos about absentee ballots. Apparently, and I'm sure by mere coincidence, people in at least two states are finding out that it costs more to mail them than a single first-class stamp will cover.
Now it's possible that there are even legitimate reasons such as extra sheets of paper for local races, initiatives, propositions, etc. One of the states is safely (sadly) red Nebraska, for pete's sake, where reports are it costs 83* cents to mail one.
The problem is in...drumroll....yer never gonna guess this one... Florida! Yes, yes, I know you're just as shocked as I am. But one correspondent reports that they want people to go to their post offices and get the item weighed to make sure postage is correct.
So screw 'em. If you've got a postage meter, USPS certified, use that. Otherwise just don't take any chances, it's an extra 37 cents for gossakes, put on an extra stamp even if the ballots are printed on tissue paper.
Come to think of it, use two extras. A buck a ballot to save your country?
Details at dKos.
*Update: Corrected per alert reader Jim Shirk, who reports in comments "Pleeze -- it's not $0.60. It's $0.83, at least that's what I heard today at Coordinated Democratic Campaign HQ here in Tampa. Check the postage at the PO, or put on a $1.00 stamp or 3 $0.37 cent first class stamps -- The American way of life is worth at least $0.97."
Couldn't agree with you more Jim, thanks for posting. And Albert Champion's advice to pony up for certified mail/return receipt requested is worth serious consideration as well. It ain't paranoia if they really are out to get ya.
Now it's possible that there are even legitimate reasons such as extra sheets of paper for local races, initiatives, propositions, etc. One of the states is safely (sadly) red Nebraska, for pete's sake, where reports are it costs 83* cents to mail one.
The problem is in...drumroll....yer never gonna guess this one... Florida! Yes, yes, I know you're just as shocked as I am. But one correspondent reports that they want people to go to their post offices and get the item weighed to make sure postage is correct.
So screw 'em. If you've got a postage meter, USPS certified, use that. Otherwise just don't take any chances, it's an extra 37 cents for gossakes, put on an extra stamp even if the ballots are printed on tissue paper.
Come to think of it, use two extras. A buck a ballot to save your country?
Details at dKos.
*Update: Corrected per alert reader Jim Shirk, who reports in comments "Pleeze -- it's not $0.60. It's $0.83, at least that's what I heard today at Coordinated Democratic Campaign HQ here in Tampa. Check the postage at the PO, or put on a $1.00 stamp or 3 $0.37 cent first class stamps -- The American way of life is worth at least $0.97."
Couldn't agree with you more Jim, thanks for posting. And Albert Champion's advice to pony up for certified mail/return receipt requested is worth serious consideration as well. It ain't paranoia if they really are out to get ya.
