Jul 31, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Postal Service delays cause ballot fears ahead of November

Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images

The U.S. Postal Service is experiencing days-long backlogs of mail across the country after Trump fundraiser-turned-postmaster general Louis DeJoy "put in place new procedures described as cost-cutting efforts," the WashPost reports.

Why it matters: While postal workers are warning "that the policies could undermine their ability to deliver ballots on time, ... The backlog comes as the president ... has escalated his efforts to cast doubt about the integrity of the November vote, which is expected to yield record numbers of mail ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic."

Context: From the Post on July 14, "Postal Service memos detail 'difficult' changes, including slower mail delivery: Analysts say the memos recast the USPS as a business rather than a government service."

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Rebecca Falconer
Aug 4, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Nevada governor signs mail-in voting bill after Trump threatens lawsuit

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak at a February event in Las Vegas. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) announced Monday evening that he's signed a bill enabling all registered voters in the state to vote by mail in November's elections.

Why it matters: President Trump told reporters Monday he'd sue Nevada in a bid to stop the mail-in measure. After Sisolak's announcement, Trump retweeted his earlier tweet stating: "In an illegal late night coup, Nevada's clubhouse Governor made it impossible for Republicans to win the state. Post Office could never handle the Traffic of Mail-In Votes without preparation. Using Covid to steal the state. See you in Court!"

Go deeper: Trump stokes fears of election-night mail voting fraud

Rashaan Ayesh
7 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Pelosi, Schumer demand postmaster general reverse USPS cuts ahead of election

Schumer and Pelosi. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Thursday calling for the recent Trump appointee to reverse operational changes to the U.S. Postal Service that "threaten the timely delivery of mail" ahead of the 2020 election.

Why it matters: U.S. mail and election infrastructure are facing a test like no other this November, with a record-breaking number of mail-in ballots expected as Americans attempt to vote in the midst of a pandemic.

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Alison Snyder
34 mins ago - Science

CRISPR co-discoverer on the gene editor's pandemic push

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos: Brian Ach/Getty Images for Wired and BSIP/UIG via Getty Images

The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating the development of CRISPR-based tests for detecting disease — and highlighting how gene-editing tools might one day fight pandemics, one of its discoverers, Jennifer Doudna, tells Axios.

Why it matters: Testing shortages and backlogs underscore a need for improved mass testing for COVID-19. Diagnostic tests based on CRISPR — which Doudna and colleagues identified in 2012, ushering in the "CRISPR revolution" in genome editing — are being developed for dengue, Zika and other diseases, but a global pandemic is a proving ground for these tools that hold promise for speed and lower costs.

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