Sen. Cramer Should Fight For the Post Office, Rather than Insult Voters and Spread Rumors

BISMARCK, ND — Sen. Kevin Cramer insulted North Dakotans and other voters who want to exercise their right to vote by mail, which was widely available in North Dakota even before the pandemic when 33 of 53 North Dakota counties offered mail-in voting. The June primary, entirely vote by mail, saw a significantly higher than average primary turnout, according to Republican Secretary of State Al Jaeger who said of the primary “it was successful and it was secure.” Cramer said recently he has voted by mail.

Meanwhile, Cramer and Washington Republicans are weakening the United States Postal Service as the pandemic causes an increase in demand. Unnecessary cuts made by the new postmaster, a Republican appointee and a large campaign donor, have led to mail delays in larger cities that may affect North Dakota as the problem worsens. A Bismarck Tribune editorial “believes mail-in voting is the future of elections,” but that requires a robust Postal Service to get ballots out in time. The Post Office is an incredibly popular institution and favored by 91% of the United States population.

Dem-NPL Communications Director Alex Rohr said:

“Sen. Cramer thinks voting by mail is okay for him, but not everyone else? Instead of dismissing a right thousands of North Dakotans routinely exercise, he should be making sure vote by mail continues to be accessible by bolstering the U.S. Postal Service. The Post Office is an essential government service, necessary lifeline for rural North Dakotans, and an especially important resource during the pandemic.”

Cramer also made unsubstantiated claims about COVID-19 reporting. Recently, Forum News reported that North Dakota did not meet our own criteria for a green rating.

Rohr continued:

“North Dakota businesses and their workers as well as educators, students, and their families are relying on our leaders to give them the best information available, so they can make the best decisions for their communities and families. By spreading false information, Sen. Cramer is making an incredibly challenging situation even more difficult and betraying the public trust.”

 

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