Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is urging voters not to worry about their vote not being rightfully counted in the upcoming general election in November.
McConnell briefly spoke with reporters on Friday where he discussed the growing concerns about the possibility of voting impediments that could impact the outcome of the election.
The top-ranking Republican lawmaker insisted people should not worry about their vote being excluded from count as he highlighted the number ways citizens can vote in his state of Kentucky.
“I don’t think people ought to worry about their vote not counting,” McConnell told reporters on Friday, per The Washington Post. “And I would encourage people: They’ve got three options in Kentucky. You can vote early, you can vote on Election Day, or you can drop it in the mail.”
McConnell continued, “So I would encourage people not to worry about your vote not counting. Choose which option is the best for you, but be sure and vote.”
He also expressed confidence in the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) ability to handle the projected influx of votes submitted by mail.
McConnell’s latest remarks come less than one month after the USPS issued a warning to 40 states in an effort to raise awareness about the possibility of processing conflicts that may arise.
According to the letter, states’ deadlines to request, return and count mail-in ballots may conflict with the reality of the delays and financial difficulties the Postal Service is facing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the influx of mail-in votes expected due to the pandemic, USPS warned some votes may not make the deadline to be counted for the election.
Martha Johnson, a spokesperson for the Postal Service, explained the reason for the letters.
“The letters advised election officials to be mindful of the potential inconsistencies between the Postal Service’s delivery standards, which have been in place for a number of years and have not changed, and the provisions of state law,” Johnson said.
The 2020 general election is set for November 3, 2020. North Carolina became the first state on Friday to start sending out absentee ballots.
