Protesters hold rally at Toms River Post Office: Don't mess with our mail or votes

TOMS RIVER - Marilyn Miller said she relies on the post office for vital services, like paying bills and renewing her car's registration and driver's license.

That's why the Holiday City at Berkeley resident came to Toms River's West Water Street post office on a hot Friday afternoon for a rally to protect the Postal Service from what organizers say are President Donald Trump's attempts to "attack and defund" it. 

Miller was among about 50 protesters who stood on the lawn in front of the post office, waving signs with slogans like, "Block the mail, go to jail," "Save our right to vote," and "Rescue the post office."

"First of all, we need the mail," Miller said. "I'm an old-fashioned person. I don't do all the online items." 

Many who attended the rally said they believe Trump and Postmaster General  Louis DeJoy, a logistics expert who is also a major donor to the president's campaign, are attacking the post office in an attempt to slow the delivery of mail-in ballots for the November election.

DeJoy, who took over as postmaster general in June, has said his ongoing plans to restructure the post office are intended to ensure that the Postal Service will be sustainable in the long term.

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The restructuring has led people to complain about delays in delivery of Social Security checks and prescription medicines, leading a bipartisan group of New Jersey lawmakers to take DeJoy to task for the mail slowdown.

The "Save Our Mail, Save Our Votes!" rally in Toms River was one of more than 20 scheduled statewide; there was one in Red Bank earlier Friday and another is scheduled for the Ocean Grove post office Saturday. The events were organized by several progressive and Democrat-aligned groups, including BlueWave NJ and Our Revolution New Jersey, along with the New Jersey State Industrial Union Council, a federation of labor unions. 

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Union Council President Carol Gay, who is also action chairperson of Our Revolution, said she believes DeJoy and the Trump administration are "trying to create a lot of chaos and confusion" surrounding mail-in voting. Trump this week accused Democrats of trying to "steal the election" by helping to facilitate mail-in voting in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The post office was designed for the common good," said Gay, who lives in Brick. "It's not to be used for political shenanigans. People are upset. They are not going to put up with this."

DeJoy acknowledged mail delivery delays during two hours of testimony Friday before a U.S. Senate panel, but defended the changes he has made at the agency, saying issues with staffing and mail processing led to delays, and fixes for the delays were taking "a few weeks" instead of the expected few days. 

He also attempted to assure senators that the Postal Service would have no issues in processing mail-in ballots, saying it is "fully capable and committed to delivering the nation's election mail securely."

Toms River resident Jim Vahey said he attended the rally "because it's a very underhanded move, and very obvious what the Trump administration is doing. What the Trump administration is trying to accomplish is deny people the right to vote."

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Kayla Jennings of Brick held up a sign that proclaimed she was "Here for my Mom. She is busy delivering the mail."

Jennings said her mother, Amanda, a mail carrier, has heard concerns from residents on her delivery route who fear delays in delivery of vital medicines or needed checks.

"People are concerned about getting medicines through the mail, getting paychecks through the mail, and other important things," Jennings said. 

Rally attendees stood along West Water Street, waving signs and seeking acknowledgment from drivers passing by the post office on the busy roadway. Many drivers honked their horns, with some waving or giving a thumbs-up to demonstrators, while a few shouted out their support for the president, including "Trump 2020!"

Contributing: USA TODAY Staff Writer Nicholas Wu 

Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for nearly 35 years. A finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in public service, she's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, 732-643-4050, jmikle@gannettnj.com.