MONROE — Chants of “save the post office” and “support our letter carriers” rang out Aug. 15 over the more usual sounds of the clock tower on Monroe’s Square as marchers walked in support of the United States Post Office. 

More than 20 people gathered for the non-partisan march, which was planned in response to recent controversy surrounding the U.S. Postal Service and mail-in voting. 

In many states, postal services have been delayed, with mail arriving after the service’s own on-time goal.

Concerned community members gathered downtown with signs and bells, asking passersby to sign a petition to be sent to state legislators. By Aug. 17, the petition collected 114 signatures. 

The petition is to be sent to Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators, Green County’s U.S. Representative and the Postmaster General.

The petition asks that “they immediately disburse the COVID-19 funding to the U.S. Postal Service Congress has approved and demand they protect our efficient, public United States Postal Service,” according to a press release from march organizer and Monroe resident Barb Woodriff.

“We want to celebrate our postal heroes, essential workers who through storms and pandemic and everything have tried to deliver efficient, wonderful service,” Woodriff said. “The postal service has been so reliable.”

Woodriff suggested the idea of a march, and said others were quick to express interest. 

“I don’t want the post office to disappear,” Monroe resident Tom Fey said. Fey was one of many to bring homemade signs in support of the post office with one that read: “I’m a Post Office Patriot.”

The march was initially planned to be a one-time event, but after the group gathered, Woodriff and others decided to plan marches in more communities to help further spread the message. 

The delays in postal services have sparked concerns that voting by mail may face more opposition than in a typical year as the COVID-19 pandemic has led people across the nation to turn to mail-in voting instead of in-person due to safety concerns. 

During Wisconsin’s April primary, hundreds of ballots were unaccounted for after being left in tubs or returned to local election offices. Hundreds more were postmarked incorrectly which led to confusion of whether they could be counted.

President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to speak against voting by mail, making claims that it will lead to a “corrupt election” and fraud.

Postmaster General and Republican megadonor Louis DeJoy, who began his tenure in June, has directed that the postal service takes cost-cutting measures which have slowed delivery times. 

The Washington Post reported in July that mail carriers were told to leave mail at the distribution center if it would take the carrier out of their normal route, as carriers will no longer receive pay for overtime, according to a document titled “PMGs expectations.”

Mail sorting machines have been removed from multiple processing centers throughout the country and post offices are being told to limit their hours by closing during lunch and opening later, according to a New York Times article published Aug. 16.

Some voters worry that the slowed delivery process may lead to mail-in votes not being counted if they arrive after Election Day, despite being postmarked and sent on time.

The effects of a delayed postal service can be felt nationwide. The Aug. 16 NYT article highlighted businesses and individuals throughout the country that have been impacted by the delays. Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus in New Glarus have expressed concerns that the delays in postal services are impacting business, citing specifically the concerns around delivered cheese going bad if delivery continues to slow.

No further marches have been officially planned as of Aug. 17, but discussions surrounding marches in nearby communities are set to take place throughout the week. 

“It’s to let our postal workers know that we have their backs,” Woodriff said.