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On a scale of 1 to 10, the confusion surrounding the U.S. Postal Service right now is an eleven. Here are just a few of the myths my staff and I have (repeatedly) been asked about over the last few days:

“There’s no way the USPS can handle all the election-related mail.”

“The Postal Service warned 46 states that it could not handle their election mail.”

“The USPS needs billions in emergency funding or it won’t be able to handle the election.”

“The USPS is taking blue boxes out of service and dismantling sorting equipment to throw the election into chaos.”

“The Post Office won’t be able to deliver my absentee ballot in time.”

“Republicans just want to 'de-fund' the USPS.”

Let's go through each of these below, but let me start by saying this: While the USPS has problems that Congress needs to address, those problems are NOT threatening this year’s election. Period.

MYTH #1: “There’s no way the USPS can handle all the election-related mail.”

REALITY: Every week, the USPS processes and delivers more than three *billion* pieces of mail, which includes over one billion items sent via First-Class Mail. That’s Every. Single. Week.

The total number of registered voters in our nation is a tiny fraction of the Postal Service’s capacity. So the notion that the USPS can’t handle election-related mail, especially spread out over the 3-4 weeks leading up to November 3rd, simply does not hold water. The USPS itself has affirmed that it has “ample capacity.”

MYTH #2: “The Postal Service warned 46 states that it could not handle their election mail.”

REALITY: The letter in question was not warning about election-related mail. Instead, these letters simply told states that some of their election deadlines may be “incompatible with the Postal Service’s delivery standards and the recommended timeframe” for delivering ballots in time.

South Carolina is a prime example of this. For voting absentee by mail, our state allows absentee ballots to be requested right up to the “fourth day prior to the election.” That means for the upcoming election on Tuesday, November 3rd, South Carolina voters can literally request an absentee ballot as late as 5 PM the Friday before. For these late-arriving requests, it would take a small miracle for those ballots to be mailed out, delivered, completed, mailed back, and received by their county elections office in time.

This type of letter was also sent out prior to the primary elections earlier this year. The USPS has a responsibility to say something when others are placing expectations on it that cannot be met. Such is the case here, and it would have been negligent for the Postal Service to have NOT reminded the states about their concerns.

MYTH #3: “The USPS needs billions in emergency funding or it won’t be able to handle the election.”

REALITY: This is false. The Postmaster General says the USPS has enough cash on hand to operate through August 2021, well past the election. Plus, the recent CARES Act gave the USPS a $10 billion loan from the U.S. Treasury.

Again, the USPS has long-term financial problems that Congress must work to fix, but NONE of those will come to a head before the November election.

Our nation deserves a comprehensive, well-thought out approach to ensure the long-term success of the USPS. But irresponsible legislation that arbitrarily throws billions at the Postal Service right now will obviously have no measurable impact on the election just 77 days from now, and will do nothing to help fix the systemic issues that could take years to resolve.

MYTH #4: “The USPS is taking blue boxes out of service and dismantling sorting equipment to throw the election into chaos.”

REALITY: This implies decision makers at the USPS are trying to interfere with this election, which is a federal crime. That is not what’s been happening.

The Postal Service regularly evaluates the use of its drop boxes. This has been taking place long before Postmaster DeJoy came to the USPS, and long before President Trump took office. It is not uncommon for highly underutilized boxes to be locked or removed. And with respect to sorting machines, trucks, buildings, etc. the USPS typically does not decommission anything without there being available capacity elsewhere in the system. With that said, the Postal Service did agree to pause on these initiatives until after the election.

MYTH #5: “The Post Office won’t be able to deliver my absentee ballot in time.”

REALITY: That is not accurate. There will be clarification on this soon, but the Postal Service should be treating all election-related mail as First-Class Mail. USPS guidance clearly states that First-Class Mail generally takes 2-5 days for delivery once received at the Post Office.

In South Carolina, If you are eligible* to vote absentee and wish to do so, you can go ahead and submit a request online at scvotes.gov or through your county’s election office. Mailing of absentee ballots for those who have requested one will begin approximately 30 days prior to the election. (Or as soon as possible if a request is received between 4 and 30 days prior to the election.)

So based on the Postal Service’s own guidance, once your county elections office mails your absentee ballot, it could take 2-5 days for you to receive it. And then another 2-5 days for it to be returned once you complete and mail it back.

You should take ALL of this into consideration if you decide to vote absentee by mail. If you’re going to rely on the Postal Service to handle your absentee ballot, then it’s important to allow them enough time to do their job. That means up to five days, each way, to be safe.

If you request your absentee by mail ballot well in advance, you should have more than enough time to mail it back. But if you’re unsure whether your completed ballot will arrive back at the county elections office in time, keep in mind that in South Carolina you can also (A) vote absentee in-person up to the day before the election, or (B) walk-in your absentee by mail ballot up to 7 PM on election day.

(*) You must meet certain criteria to be eligible to vote absentee in South Carolina. You can find details at scvotes.gov. Next month, the SC State Legislature is expected to consider expanding absentee eligibility for the upcoming election, but that is not guaranteed.

MYTH #6: “Republicans just want to de-fund the USPS.”

REALITY: This is a ridiculous, bold-faced lie. The Postal Service is rooted in our Constitution and plays a vital role in our society. Millions of Americans, and tens of thousands of people in our congressional district, rely heavily on the USPS.

In its current state, the Postal Service hemorrhages billions of dollars every year and is fiscally unstable. Congress MUST be committed to finding bi-partisan solutions if the USPS is to survive long term. That’s why I’m glad to be on the House Oversight Committee where these solutions can take shape. But it is flat-out false to say that the integrity of this year’s election, just 77 days from now, hangs in the balance because of problems that have slowly manifested at the USPS over many decades.

To reiterate, while the USPS has problems that Congress needs to address, those problems are NOT threatening this year’s election.