Cheers: To generosity. This time of year typically is filled with stories about Clark County residents sharing holiday spirit with those in need. Such was the case last week in La Center, where the annual Stuff the Bus event delivered food donations to the Clark County Food Bank and other organizations.
Middle school students collected and delivered 1,200 pounds of food to Friends in Service to Humanity in downtown Vancouver; another bus filled by elementary and high school students delivered even more. “It’s a great thing that our kids can get involved in,” one elementary school official said. “I love that they get so excited about it, and it’s a great opportunity for them to give back to the community.” Throughout Clark County, the holiday season will be filled with similar tales of generosity, providing reminders that our community has a giving spirit.
Jeers: To forgotten ballots. On Tuesday, The Columbian wrote editorially about mailboxes in King and Pierce counties that had not been emptied, leaving ballots for the Nov. 7 election unprocessed. On Wednesday, the Clark County Elections Office reported that 13 local ballots had been discovered in out-of-service boxes.
This represents a disturbing failure on the part of the U.S. Postal Service. When ballots are not delivered, voters risk being disenfranchised and elections risk being compromised. Plus, we wonder what other mail had been left unattended. Mortgage checks? Birthday cards to loved ones? Products being sent by eBay sellers? While much commerce and correspondence is conducted online these days, the USPS provides a necessary service; failing to empty mailboxes in public spaces is unacceptable. In Clark County, ballots signed and dated by Election Day were counted in the vote totals, pursuant to state law. But the Postal Service must take immediate steps to fix the problem.
