Politics at the post office

With both major political parties vying for every vote in the Keystone State this election season, a common place to reach potential local voters is outside the Milford Post Office. Federal law prohibits electioneering and canvassing on post office property, but allows for voter registration only with the postmaster’s permission. Still every now and then a controversy pops up, leading residents to wonder just what is and isn’t allowed on government grounds.

“Passing out political (or other) leaflets, gathering signatures on petitions, holding signs, etc., is allowed on borough property, which encompasses the sidewalks and parks,” Milford Borough Mayor Sean Strub said in an email. “The only prohibition is that whatever activity on the sidewalk does not impede pedestrian traffic.”

He added: “Over the years, many groups have campaigned on the sidewalk outside the post office, and some have been on post office property. Including, at least in 2016, a Democratic group, according to a picture someone provided. It seems like the post office’s enforcement of this restriction on their program may not have always been consistent.”

More recently, on Saturday, Oct. 12, Ealy Vote Action, a non-partisan group dedicated to registering voters headed by Scott Pressler, a Trump supporter, was registering voters outside the Milford Post Office, when controversy arose.

“The complaint was filed by the post office, not by me,” said Strub, referring to the presence of Milford police at the post office Oct. 12. “I wasn’t surprised though, because I knew they were unhappy about it, as people had contacted me about the matter. I told them that the post office was the one who had to decide to enforce their regulations. I know some people filed a complaint with the post office online. To be frank, I had never discussed this matter with our police department, nor did I even know about the police having been called to the post office on [Oct. 12] until they were already there. I was home having breakfast when someone texted me about it.”

Milford resident Matthew Contreras, who was present at the Early Vote Action (EVA) table two Saturdays ago, contends no rules were broken.

“Early Vote Action is non-partisan, and I have taken registrations for people of both parties in Milford and throughout the commonwealth while volunteering for EVA,” Contreras said. “I have also set up a separate, unrelated, table outside of the post office. Both sides of the political aisle have done this on a regular basis for decades. The attorney for the Borough of Milford has been telling me that where we have been setting up is not federal property.”

Regarding any complaints for Saturday, Oct. 12, Strub forwarded the following, via the post office:

“On Saturday, Oct. 12, two political groups near the Milford Post Office were reminded of USPS regulations prohibiting campaign activities on postal property. Both groups relocated to private property before postal inspectors arrived. Inspectors also coordinated with local postal management and law enforcement to help future incidents.”

When contacted about this story, a postal employee at the Milford Post Office said she could not comment on the matter but would forward our inquiry to postal headquarters.