For the last 50 years, the United States Postal Service has been in charge of providing Americans with affordable everyday mailing services. It’s a responsibility that USPS takes very seriously.
It is not uncommon for USPS to receive many questions every day about different matters. Some of them are pretty straightforward to answer. Others, however, are a little more complicated.
One of the most frequently asked questions is whether the post office and its branches are open on Election Day or not. The answer to this question may come as a surprise to some people.
Is The Post Office Open On Election Day?
The post office is open for business on Election Day. On Election Day, which is always on a Tuesday in November, the Postal Service will deliver mail and parcels.
Post Office only closes on Federal Holidays and Sundays, and since the election date is neither of those, it’s operational.
The Reason Behind the Same Election Day in the US
Election Day is always on a Tuesday in November, and it’s been that way for many years. But why does the United States vote on a Tuesday?
Congress passed a law setting the day for national elections in 1845. However, it also set the day of the week on which those elections would be held.
Election Day is always held on a Tuesday of November because it was decided that Tuesday would give citizens enough time to travel from their homes to their voting precincts. This ensured that more people would vote on a specific day.
The thinking was that if elections were held on Saturdays or Sundays, people would be unavailable as they attended church services. Wednesdays were market days where the farmers got to sell their produce, so it was not practical.
The only suitable day was Tuesday since people would travel over the weekend and on Monday and make it to the polls on time.
What is the USPS?
The United States Postal Service is a government-owned corporation that employs over 600,000 people.
The USPS has several units or business lines that generate revenue, including stamps, shipping and packaging, deliveries, retail services, mail processing, and mail sorting.
The USPS has more than 34000 offices and delivers more than 143 billion mail each year to 160 million addresses in 2019. According to their website, they provide 40% of the mail each day globally.
USPS has a long history and has been involved in many historical events, including the Declaration of Independence. The USPS is also the only public agency empowered to mail letters on behalf of the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
USPS operated as a monopoly for more than a century and a half before the Reorganization Act of 1970. USPS still has a monopoly on letter delivery but has been heavily subsidized since 2006.
What Does the USPS Do?
The USPS provides several products and services, including:
- Mailing and shipping
- Package delivery
- Parcel service
- Post Office Boxes
- Priority mail express service
- Private mailbox service
- Postal savings accounts
- Money orders
First, let’s talk about the USPS shipping services. The USPS is one of the most popular shipping companies globally, and it’s easy to see why.
Not only does the USPS have affordable rates for domestic shipping, but it also has some of the best rates for international shipping.
The U.S Postal Service has many services, but the most popular is mail delivery. Consumer mail volume is at its highest level in five years, so it’s no surprise that USPS services are back in demand.
Aside from mail delivery, here are six other services you didn’t know the USPS offers:
Priority Mail and First-Class Mail are examples of speciality shipping services. Parcel Select provides speedy delivery options while allowing you to ship various packages ranging from flat-rate envelopes to large boxes.
USPS Tracking – The USPS service gives a tracking number of your package. Through this tracking number, you can know where your package is at the moment and when it will arrive.
USPS Priority Mail – This is the fastest domestic service among all other benefits of USPS. It takes 2-3 days for any place in the USA. You can send important documents with this service.
USPS Certified Mail -It’s a particular mail service through which you can verify your receipt from the recipient end.
Mail service has undergone many changes in recent decades, including increased package shipments. The USPS has also changed how it processes packages, adding software and automation to speed up delivery times.
The US Postal Service is a very reliable carrier. They lose less than 1% of all packages they deliver.
When Was the Post Office Created?
When was it created? July 26, 1775, with Benjamin Franklin as the first-ever Postmaster General.
He was considered the founder after colonial leaders appointed him to find a way to ensure reliable communication between colonies.
The Constitution of the US initially established the Postal Service. The Postmaster General, head of the Postal Service, is selected to the President of the United States and approved by Congress.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) was officially established on July 1, 1971, when it took over the Post Office Department, making it a quasi-government non-military federal agency under the federal government’s executive branch.
The postal service operates as an independent business within the federal government, but it doesn’t depend on the government.
The Postal Service in the US is the largest government agency. It’s also the second-largest civilian employer, with over 634,000 employees and a budget of $71 billion.
Louis DeJoy is the latest postmaster general appointed on June 15, 2020, by the governors of the US Post Office.
How is USPS Funded?
The USPS has been self-supporting since 1971. It gets no tax monies for operational expenditures and is funded entirely from the sale of stamps, products, and services.
To support itself, the USPS sells Postage, products, and services to finance their services and pay workers.
Although the post office does not receive any funding support, it is subject to legislative oversight by Congress. The USPS must request approval from Congress to raise postage rates above the inflation rate.
Where is The USPS Located?
The U.S. Postal Service is a government agency that has been around for over 200 years and serves to deliver mail and packages all around the United States. It is located in Washington, DC, but several significant locations also have.
The USPS owns over 34,000 post offices, mail processing centres, and other delivery facilities.
The majority of its locations are located in cities and towns across the country. There are over 30,000 post offices in the United States alone.
What are Some Perks of Being a Postal Worker?
The United States Postal Service is an often-overlooked but essential part of American society.
Being the second-largest civilian employer in the entire country, it provides excellent employment opportunities to over half a million Americans.
But what about the job itself? What are the best parts of being a postal worker? What are some of the perks that you may not have considered?
It turns out that there are many benefits to working for this iconic organization. Here are just a few:
Stable Pay
Postal workers enjoy one of the most stable pay schedules available in America today. Their income comes from permanent salaries.
Pension schemes
They also have a pension plan that is one of the best in the country.
Great Benefits package
In addition to the pension plan, postal workers also have a great health care plan. The USPS covers 100% of all health care costs for employees and their families.
Other benefits include; dental, vision, life assurance, an Employee Aid Program, a defined benefit pension plan, and tuition assistance.
Unions
Postal workers are also some of the most unionized people in the country; there are unions for routes, city carriers, clerks, and maintenance workers. Post office employees get 15 days paid vacation per year and two personal days off every month.
Which Holidays Doesn’t USPS Deliver Packages?
The following federal holidays affect the Post Office’s closure. Therefore, no deliveries are made on Independence (July 4), Christmas (December 25), Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, President’s Day, and Martin Luther Day.
Conclusion
The post office is open on Election Day. If you will be mailing a package or letter, keep this information in mind when sending out your letter.
Whether you are looking to mail out a package or get some stamps for your mail, it’s essential to know when the post office is open. Apart from federal holidays such as Labor Day and Independence Day and all Sundays, the Post Office is always available.
