The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently made an alarming announcement: It might not be able to deliver millions of voters’ mail-in ballots in time to be counted for November’s presidential election.
The USPS has long struggled to deliver mail quickly due to a lack of funding. And now because of the coronavirus, a record number of people are expected to skip polling places and mail their ballots for president instead.
What’s more, the federal government has announced new cost-cutting measures for the USPS that could slow it down even further. Critics accuse President Donald Trump of undermining mail-in voting, which he claims favors Democrats over Republicans. (Studies have found no clear advantage for either party.)
There is also concern over how long it will take poll workers to verify and count mail-in ballots that do arrive in time. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was one of many places that struggled to count a flood of such ballots during presidential primaries earlier this year. Study this cartoon on the topic, then answer the questions.
1. Who is the man on the phone? Why do you think he’s dressed this way?
2. What is the significance of the two boxes on the man’s desk?
3. What is humorous about what the man is saying?
4. How does this cartoon’s message apply to the 2020 presidential election?