Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates in contested races address leading up to the Nov. 5. election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to residents across Johnson County.
Each day this week, we’ll publish the candidates’ responses to one question. Read the candidates’ responses to the previous question about immigration.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Residents of Johnson County have been lodging complaints for months about slow mail delivery times. The problem, in some cases, has impacted the delivery of prescription drugs and also led to some mail-in ballots for August’s primary elections being tossed. What will you do to hold the U.S. Postal Service accountable and ensure Kansans start getting their mail in a timely manner once again?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
Prasanth Reddy (Republican)
It’s unacceptable that Johnson County residents have been facing slow delivery times for months, and it’s even more concerning that this problem has impacted essential items like medication and the integrity of our elections.
This issue is not new—Sharice Davids has known about it, but she has allowed it to fester without taking meaningful action. We need leadership that will hold the U.S. Postal Service accountable and demand the changes needed to fix this problem immediately.
As your representative, I will push for an independent review of USPS operations in Kansas to identify the specific causes of these delays. Additionally, I’ll work with local officials and postal service leadership to implement performance benchmarks to ensure delivery times improve. Kansans deserve reliable mail service, and I’ll fight to make sure they get it.
Rep. Sharice Davids (Democratic, incumbent)
My mom was a postal worker after she retired from the Army, so I’ve seen firsthand how crucial the USPS is for everyday life and the challenges this essential service has faced in recent years. Kansans depend on the postal service to pay bills, receive vital medications, stay connected with loved ones, and much more.
These current mail delivery issues cross party lines, which is why I’ve been collaborating with colleagues from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the KS/MO state line. After hearing numerous concerns from Kansans last year, Senator Moran and I urged the Postmaster General to address these pressing issues. This year, I joined Representatives LaTurner, Alford, Cleaver, and Graves to ask the USPS to implement recent recommendations aimed at resolving local delivery challenges.
By uniting across party lines, we are sending a clear message: reliable mail service is a priority for all Kansans. I remain dedicated to advocating for our communities and ensuring the USPS operates effectively for everyone.
Steve Roberts (Libertarian)
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Coming up:
Tomorrow we will publish the candidates’ responses to the following question:
Many readers express concern over former President Trump’s continued baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and the violence that rhetoric engendered as rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, attempting to thwart the certification of Joe Biden as the winner. Do you believe President Biden was elected fair and square in 2020? If not, what evidence do you use to support that he wasn’t? If elected, are there any measures you’d support at the federal level to protect Americans’ right to vote?
