Polls, mail and the midterms

Just like me after paying for a $12 pumpkin cream oat latte, the United States Postal Service is in rough financial shape. The agency has lost more than $120 billion since 2007. But just like me riding the subsequent sugar high, things are looking up for the USPS. It is no longer expected to run out of money next year. How they pulled that off is a bit bleak, though: They’ve paused payments to worker retirement funds.

And as the USPS has cut costs, mail has slowed down. The Government Accountability Office found that the USPS is failing to meet performance targets that the agency already lowered. Due to cuts, USPS might not automatically stamp a date on an envelope — including a mail-in ballot — the day it’s collected. That means your ballot might get postmarked after Election Day even if you drop it off before.

So, what’s the USPS doing about it? They’ve rolled out special postmarking procedures to try to limit the problem. What can you do about it? Check if you live somewhere affected by the cuts, and vote early.

That brings us to this week’s media literacy tip from our friends at MediaWise! Here’s how to find more trustworthy information on mail-in voting.

Agents from the investigative arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement searched the DC home of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Monday, according to two people who knew about the investigation and talked to The Associated Press. On social media, Omar called the raid political intimidation by President Donald Trump.

Omar has been under federal investigation for years. Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. attorney in Minneapolis and the Justice Department have been looking into claims of immigration fraud, even though officials who peddle those claims have not provided any evidence to back them up.

Those officials include Vice President JD Vance. Trump has also spread lies about Omar in the past. He’s said without evidence that she married her brother. Hours after a January speech in which Trump railed against Omar and Somalia — where Omar was born — a man attacked the congresswoman.

Under Justice Department norms, federal prosecutors usually hold off on taking big steps in politically charged cases within 60 days of an election. So raiding the home of a congresswoman who’s up for reelection in about three weeks certainly violates that norm. Trump himself complained that the Justice Department violated that rule in 2024 when he was being prosecuted.

Amid the Cornell case, there’s been a renewed spotlight on Title IX. It’s a federal law that bans sex discrimination in federally funded education, and Obama-era guidance amplified the law’s use as a tool to combat sexual assault on college campuses.

In theory, there are a couple of ways someone can seek accountability for a sexual assault on a college campus. One is through a criminal investigation that could lead to prison time. Another is through a Title IX investigation that could lead to expulsion. But researchers have found that consequences are rare in both systems.

According to Jane Doe’s complaint in the Cornell case, the university began its Title IX investigation in January 2025. The university said that expulsions and suspensions followed.

And while sexual assault can still be pursued under Title IX, a Trump-era rule has also narrowed the definition of sexual harassment. That makes it harder for harassment victims to prove that what happened to them meets the definition, and it limits what schools can respond to.

Polling from AARP, which has paid Local News International to make videos about this, shows broad bipartisan support for Social Security. Ninety-five percent of all respondents said Social Security was important.

What do these voters want? For the program to pay people in full, amid current projections that payments will be cut by 26% in 2032. Trump’s push to privatize Social Security has even faced pushback from some Republicans, according to the president.

Medicare also faces potential benefit cuts due to insolvency in 2033. And most U.S. adults across party lines want the federal government to do more to help give Americans health insurance.

Katie Zacharia, the new White House press secretary, held her first briefing with reporters earlier this week in what The New York Times called “a bumpy one.” Zacharia reportedly read from a script for eight minutes, took only three questions, and said “my president” when she meant to say “my husband.”

She also announced that the administration had asked for the resignation of the U.S. ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle. This came after The Wall Street Journal reported Guilfoyle asked a Trump donor for money leading up to her confirmation hearing. Screenshots show she texted the donor multiple times, ending with a message that just said “Please.” Guilfoyle has since resigned, and her lawyer claims the messages aren’t authentic.

Popular Information and later The Wall Street Journal also reported that Zacharia hasn’t passed the bar exam, even though she’s publicly referred to herself as a lawyer and Trump has referred to her as an attorney. According to the Journal’s source, Zacharia took the exam as she was getting ready to move to China with her future president husband. The revelation pads her resume with a key qualification for her current job: lying to your face.

Democratic candidate Jaime West in Fayette County, Indiana, has gone viral for a candidate forum last Friday. Instead of the written opening statement that the moderator expected, she spoke “from my heart.”

And in West's heart was a reminder that “we have guns, too,” allegedly real crying over fire stations closing, and a vow to fire all Republicans. “What do you want me to say? I don't like being around 'em,” she said. Lucky for her, her Republican opponent did not show up to what was supposed to be a forum.

The Fayette County Council election is November 3, the day we’ll also be voting in U.S. House and Senate races. Which is a good reminder to brush up on which local and state candidates will be on your ballots this election cycle!