DENVER — It's an issue you've almost certainly never heard about, but it could impact millions of voters in the military and overseas.
Colorado county clerks are sending out letters warning about the United States' intent to withdraw from the Universal Postal Union.
And what is the Universal Postal Union?
It's basically the United Nations of postal service. It's a group that sets the rate for mail sent between countries.
Last October, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Universal Postal Union. The issue is the cost of mail sent to the U.S. It can be more expensive sending mail within the U.S. than it is sending mail from another country -- like China -- to the U.S.
"Dear voter, we are sending this letter to alert you to the pending international postal dispute," said Pamela Bowen, as she read from a letter sent by the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder to her military son.
"He's Air Force, active duty, career," said Bowen.
The letter reads:
"We are sending this letter to alert you to a pending international postal dispute that may interfere with or disrupt our ability to send you, and your ability to timely return, a mail ballot by postal delivery for Colorado's November 5, 2019 Coordinated Election."
Military and overseas voters registered in Colorado can apply for an electronic ballot and submit their vote through a web portal. The letter asks Colorado military and overseas voters to make sure they have an email address on record and gives directions in case they want to receive their ballot electronically.
Bowen's son is set up to vote electronically.
"It's really not about him. It's about the other members of the Armed Forces that don't have the option, necessarily, of an e-ballot," said Bowen.
"Not all states have adopted electronic transmission or secure transmission for military and overseas voters, so they could potential he be impacted," said Pam Anderson, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association.
Colorado, Arizona and North Dakota allow for ballots to be returned using a web-based portal. Missouri does for military voters serving in a "hostile zone."
"There is no real possibility that people won't be able to vote, Colorado has all the options available," said Anderson.
"It's a problem, but we have contingency plans, but a lot of states do not," said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, military and overseas voters in 19 states only have the option to vote by mail. Those states include: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
"Nationwide, this has the potential to disenfranchise millions of people. One-point-three million members of the military, 3 million Americans living abroad who have their fundamental rights to vote and 700,000 people who are military families," said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.
Griswold said she is taking the lead in making sure mail ballots remain an option, even though Colorado has alternative ways to participate in voting.
"I have called the White House to express our point of view. I have also been calling other Secretaries of State to urge them to take action. I can agree with the idea that they shouldn't have a cheaper rate than us. That's not fair. But, we should negotiate that while still maintaining the treaty," said Griswold. "Those countries may decide, 'you know what, I don't like how the United States is bullying in this treaty and we're not going to send mail back.'"
Even though her son can vote via web portal, Bowen is contacting everyone she can.
"I reached out to (Congressman) Jason Crow's office. I reached out to the Secretary of State, I discussed it with Arapahoe County, I contacted the Attorney General because, in my opinion, it should be against the law. You're intentionally depriving people of the ability to vote," said Bowen. "It is voter suppression at the federal level, my opinion."
"I don't believe that it's a form of voter suppression, I do think that it creates an uncertain environment and uncertainty is not great going into next year with three big federal elections in Colorado," said Anderson. "In the event anything happens, we have great contingencies in Colorado. No voters will be suppressed in their voting."
Colorado has 28,089 military and overseas voters. Of those, 8,384 request to receive their ballots by mail. There are about 700 military and overseas voters in Colorado who don't have an email address on record to vote electronically if they wanted to vote that way.
"My job as Secretary of State is to make sure that we don't put up barriers to voting, any time we put up a barrier to vote, we are going to make it harder for people," said Griswold.
The Universal Postal Union Congress has only met twice since it was created in 1874. Once in Switzerland in 1900. Again, last year in Ethiopia. And the third meeting will happen on Sept. 24 in Switzerland. It will likely be known after that meeting if the U.S. will remain in the union or withdraw in mid-October.
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