August 22, 2020

The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Chuck Schumer Majority Leader Minority Leader Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker Minority Leader United States House of Representatives United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, and Leader McCarthy:

As from across the nation, we write to underscore the importance of maintaining the integrity of our elections through a robust vote-by-mail system, and we support legislative action to ensure that the United States Postal Service can support that system.

Being able to vote and have that vote counted are essential to maintaining and preserving our democracy. Voting stands as one of the most important rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens. The news of recent changes to the U.S. Postal Service’s delivery process, coupled with the Administration’s decision to withhold funding, is alarming and should be of grave concern to us all, particularly with the General Election only months away. While the Postmaster General’s actions to reverse these policies earlier this week were a positive step, we must be vigilant and relentless when it comes to a fair election, especially during these challenging times. The spread of the Coronavirus has already created challenges and uncertainty around our local, state and national electoral processes. We cannot afford further disruption.

At our Annual Meeting in June, the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed two critical resolutions supporting safe and accessible elections and voting by mail. The Conference supports national efforts to increase voter participation and safeguard the integrity of our electoral system. Further, it strongly encourages the federal government, states and localities to expand opportunities for voting by mail in advance of the November 3, 2020 national election and thereafter. Given the current and unprecedented public health crisis, we recognize that voting by mail provides a way for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights and responsibilities, without endangering their health and that of their communities.

America’s mayors urge you to take needed actions immediately to ensure that all of our citizens have an opportunity to participate in this year’s elections. We are all working locally to provide safe voting options in our communities, including vote-by-mail, in order to ensure that we protect the health of all eligible Americans. This must also be a national priority. Anything less not only threatens to undermine our democratic values but erodes the very fabric of our country.

Sincerely, Mayor Tom Cochran Louisville, KY Dayton, OH CEO and Executive Director President Vice President

Mayor Bryan K. Barnett Mayor Stephen Benjamin Mayor Elizabeth Kautz Rochester Hills, MI Columbia, SC Burnsville, MN Past President Past President Past President

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot Mayor Mayor Diane Howard , IL , GA Redwood City, CA

Mayor Mayor Göran Eriksson Mayor Thomas K. Butt Montgomery, AL Culver City, CA Richmond, CA

Mayor Lioneld Jordan Mayor Gloria Partida Mayor Richard D. O'Brien Fayetteville, AR Davis, CA Riverbank, CA

Mayor Frank D. Scott Jr. Mayor Lily Mei Mayor Little Rock, AR Fremont, CA San Jose, CA

Mayor Mayor Jenelle Osborne Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter Mesa, AZ Lompoc, CA San Leandro, CA

Mayor Joe Winfield Mayor Robert Garcia Mayor Ian N. Oglesby Oro Valley, AZ Long Beach, CA Seaside, CA

Mayor Mayor Mayor Christopher L. Cabaldon Phoenix, AZ , CA West Sacramento, CA

Mayor Mayor Richard Montgomery Mayor John F. Dunbar Tucson, AZ Manhattan Beach, CA Yountville, CA

Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis Mayor Sam Weaver Alameda, CA National City, CA Boulder, CO

Mayor Jesse Arreguin Mayor Alan L. Nagy Mayor Michael B. Hancock Berkeley, CA Newark, CA , CO

Mayor Lester Friedman Mayor Geoff Kors Mayor Adam A. Paul Beverly Hills, CA Palm Springs, CA Lakewood, CO

Mayor Albert Robles Mayor Michael M. Vargas Mayor Carson, CA Perris, CA Bridgeport, CT

Mayor Mary Casillas Salas Mayor Teresa Barrett Mayor Marcia A. Leclerc Chula Vista, CA Petaluma, CA East Hartford, CT

Mayor Curt Balzano Leng Mayor Van R. Johnson II Mayor Yvonne M. Spicer Hamden, CT Savannah, GA Framingham, MA

Mayor Mayor Lauren McLean Mayor Thomas M. McGee Hartford, CT Boise, ID Lynn, MA

Mayor Shari Cantor Mayor Richard C. Irvin Mayor Jon Mitchell West Hartford, CT Aurora, IL New Bedford, MA

Mayor Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen Mayor Ruthanne Fuller Washington, DC Champaign, IL Newton, MA

Mayor, Scott Singer Mayor Stephen H. Hagerty Mayor Patrick L. Wojahn Boca Raton, FL Evanston, IL College Park, MD

Mayor Heidi K. Herzberg Mayor Nancy Rodkin Rotering Mayor Jeffrey Z. Slavin Deltona, FL Highland Park, IL Somerset, MD

Mayor Joy Cooper Mayor Chris Koos Mayor Hallandale Beach, FL Normal, IL Grand Rapids, MI

Mayor Hazelle Rogers Mayor, Leon Rockingham, Jr Mayor Lauderdale Lakes, FL North Chicago, IL Lansing, MI

Mayor Christine Hunschofsky Mayor, Thomas P. McNamara Mayor Michael C. Taylor Parkland, FL Rockford, IL Sterling Heights, MI

Mayor Rex Hardin Mayor Jason Ashmore Mayor Emily Larson Pompano Beach, FL Sesser, IL Duluth, MN

Mayor Rick Kriseman Mayor Diane W. Marlin Mayor St. Petersburg, FL Urbana, IL , MN

Mayor John E. Dailey Mayor Thomas 'Tom' C. Henry Mayor Melvin Carter Tallahassee, FL Fort Wayne, IN St. Paul, MN

Mayor Jane Castor Mayor Joseph 'Joe' H. Hogsett Mayor Tampa, FL , IN City, MO

Mayor Keith A. James Mayor Mayor Lyda Krewson West Palm Beach, FL Topeka, KS St. Louis, MO

Mayor Daniel J. Stermer Mayor LaToya Cantrell Mayor Terry Crow Weston, FL , LA University City, MO

Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. Mayor Michael P. Cahill Mayor Bob Kelly Augusta, GA Beverly, MA Great Falls, MT

Mayor John Arthur Ernst Jr. Mayor Martin J. Walsh Mayor John Engen Brookhaven, GA , MA Missoula, MT Mayor Lydia Lavelle Mayor Debra March Mayor Jamael Tito Brown Carrboro, NC Henderson, NV Youngstown, OH

Mayor Pam Hemminger Mayor Hillary Schieve Mayor Breea Clark Chapel Hill, NC Reno, NV Norman, OK

Mayor Vi Alexander Lyles Mayor Kathy M. Sheehan Mayor William H. Joyce Charlotte, NC Albany, NY Stillwater, OK

Mayor William 'Bill' C. Dusch Mayor Byron W. Brown Mayor Denny Doyle Concord, NC Buffalo, NY Beaverton, OR

Mayor Steve Schewel Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard Mayor Biff Traber Durham, NC Mount Vernon, NY Corvallis, OR

Mayor Nancy Vaughan Mayor Noam Bramson Mayor Karylinn Echols Greensboro, NC New Rochelle, NY Gresham, OR

Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin Mayor Mayor Steve Callaway Raleigh, NC , NY Hillsboro, OR

Mayor James Allen Joines Mayor Robert Restaino Mayor Winston-Salem, NC Niagara Falls, NY Portland, OR

Mayor Joyce Craig Mayor Lovely A. Warren Mayor Jason B. Snider Manchester, NH Rochester, NY Tigard, OR

Mayor J. Christian Bollwage Mayor Gary R. McCarthy Mayor Robert Donchez Elizabeth, NJ Schenectady, NY Bethlehem, PA

Mayor Jeff Martin Mayor Ben Walsh Mayor Hamilton Township, NJ Syracuse, NY , PA

Mayor Alberto G. Santos Mayor Thomas M. Roach Mayor William Peduto Kearny, NJ White Plains, NY Pittsburgh, PA

Mayor Ras J. Baraka Mayor Dan Horrigan Mayor Paige G. Cognetti Newark, NJ Akron, OH Scranton, PA

Mayor Brian C. Wahler Mayor Thomas M. Bernabei Mayor James A. Diossa Piscataway, NJ Canton, OH Central Falls, RI

Mayor Mayor Mayor Jorge O. Elorza Albuquerque, NM , OH Providence, RI

Mayor Kenneth D. Miyagishima Mayor Frank G. Jackson Mayor John J. Tecklenburg Las Cruces, NM , OH Charleston, SC

Mayor Mayor David J. Berger Mayor Joseph T. McElveen Jr. Santa Fe, NM Lima, OH Sumter, SC Mayor Andy Berke Mayor Mayor Angela Birney Chattanooga, TN , TX Redmond, WA

Mayor Indya Kincannon Mayor Erin J. Mendenhall Mayor Jenny A. Durkan Knoxville, TN , UT , WA

Mayor John Cooper Mayor Justin Wilson Mayor Victoria Woodards Nashville, TN Alexandria, VA Tacoma, WA

Mayor Mayor McKinley L. Price DDS Mayor Allan Ekberg Austin, TX Newport News, VA Tukwila, WA

Mayor Eric Johnson Mayor Nancy Backus Mayor John Martin Antaramian , TX Auburn, WA Kenosha, WI

Mayor Curtistene Smith McCowan Mayor Cassie Franklin Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway DeSoto, TX Everett, WA Madison, WI

Mayor Mayor Mary Lou Pauly Mayor Thomas 'Tom' Barrett , TX Issaquah, WA , WI

Mayor Thurman 'Bill' Bartie Mayor Glenn A. Johnson Mayor Steve Williams Port Arthur, TX Pullman, WA Huntington, WV

cc. Members of Congress United States Postmaster General and CEO