Episode description

United States Postal Service Governor Amber McReynolds joins T. J. O’Hara to discuss the challenges of the Postal Service, its role in facilitating in-home voting, and the 2020 election in general. As a former Director of Elections for the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and the CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute, Ms. McReynolds is one of our Nation’s leading experts on election policy and administration. She now turns her sights on restoring the USPS to its former level of excellence.

Ms. McReynolds was nominated by President Biden to become an independent member of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service. She describes the vetting process that led to her confirmation by the United States Senate on May 13th of this year.

Ms. McReynolds talks openly about the unique challenges the Postal Service currently faces and what she intends to do to address them. She also explains the critical role the USPS played in the 2020 elections as voting was driven toward mail-in ballots due to the pandemic, a trend that will continue to grow as in-home voting becomes increasingly popular.

T. J. questions Ms. McReynolds on her observations about the 2020 elections, both the good and the bad. She talks about the incredible dedication of poll workers under the most difficult of circumstances and encourages everyone to consider working for the polls at some point in their lives.

Ms. McReynolds also offers her views on the assaults on the election system that began to form in advance of November 3rd and continue thereafter. She shares her views of the danger of conspiracy theories, disinformation, and misinformation that readily appears on social media and the impact it has on democracy. T. J. provides an example that suggests that the abuse is not restricted to a single Party but rather represents a tactic that is disturbingly employed by both. Ms. McReynolds agrees and discusses what must happen to correct the problem.

If you have always wondered what a nomination and confirmation process is like for one of the most prestige positions in any President’s Administration, Ms. McReynolds provides a glimpse into that world. If you care about election access and integrity, Ms. McReynolds addresses that as well. Enjoy the interview and gain real insight into what makes our system work.