This story was updated at 3:57 p.m. 

Officials and Postal Service employees in Virginia say that limited personnel and dismantled sorting machines are causing delays and backlogs in mail delivery. 

Virginia’s Attorney General Mark R. Herring outlined the accusations in a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice this week, demanding answers about the recent changes to mail operations in the state. 

Herring’s letter focuses on reported reductions to service at two USPS processing facilities in Northern Virginia that, according to the letter, “handle hundreds or thousands of pieces of mail each day.” Herring states that he has “reason to believe” that there have already been service reductions at the Dulles and Merrifield processing and distribution centers, citing the alleged removal of necessary sorting and processing equipment.

“It was nothing but voter suppression,” Herring said at a press conference on Friday about the postal service changes. “We’re going to make sure that these policies and these changes are put to an end and that the damage that’s been done is reversed.” 

Half a dozen Postal Service employees attended the press conference, sporting shirts that read “U.S. Mail Not for Sale.” 

Amanda Mainor, a nine-year USPS employee at the Merrifield Processing and Distribution Center, says she’s seen at least three of the facility’s 18 sorting machines dismantled over the past few weeks. 

“It makes it harder on the employees to process the letter-mail to go out on time,” she tells DCist/WAMU. “It’s very stressful. When you still see mail that needs to be processed, why is it not being processed?  

A member of the National Association of Postal Service, Deborah Holley, attended the press conference. She says that the limitations on employee bandwidth has stretched staff thin, resulting in delays in backlogs. 

“You have a route that is down, maybe somebody who is out with COVID-19 positivity, and you can’t cover that route, therefore you’re going to have delays,” Holley says. “Because you’re not allowed to use overtime.” 

“[Postal Service workers] are heroes because they are out there working through the pandemic regardless of what is going on,” Holley adds. 

USPS spokespeople did not immediately return DCist’s request for comment. 

Herring’s letter comes days after he joined several other state attorneys general in suing the administration of President Donald Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over recent operational changes to USPS — including a ban preventing employees from working overtime and making extra trips— that could threaten mail-in ballot initiatives in November. Now, Herring is seeking answers from Deputy Assistant Attorney General David Morrell (who is acting as the administration’s counsel in the suit), while DeJoy faced Senate questioning today.

At Friday’s press conference, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner called for DeJoy’s resignation, and claimed that some residents are receiving their medications late, and facing late fees for bills that are not delivered on time. 

“During the midst of a pandemic you don’t mess with people’s mail,” Warner said.

While DeJoy announced on Tuesday that he would suspend any operational changes to the Postal Service until after the election (to “avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail”), Herring states that he believes changes to Virginia’s mail offices may already be underway, and “that the extent of previously enacted operational and equipment changes in Virginia are more significant than previously known.”

Herring is requesting that the Department of Justice explain the changes in equipment and staffing at the distribution centers, and provide a plan for restoring Virginia’s postal facilities to full functional capacity.  He is also asking the DOJ to explain any “significant changes” in staffing or overtime policies, and to identify any mailboxes that have been removed or closed in the last six months.

Since DeJoy’s cost-cutting measures (which he has claimed were needed due to the service’s billion-dollar shortfall), several states have reported delays and backlogs in mail delivery. On Aug. 14, the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states and the District that their mail-in ballots may not arrive in time to be counted for the November election. However, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia offer various ways to submit ballots early, ensuring that they are counted on time. 

Herring’s letter is the latest in a slew of statements from local officials condemning the alleged efforts of Trump and DeJoy (a prominent Trump donor) to undermine the election. A Democratic Congressman from Virginia, Gery Connally, tweeted support of the recent lawsuit, demanding action.

“There are far too many unanswered questions for us to take our foot off the gas now,” he wrote on Tuesday.

D.C.’s Attorney General Karl Racine, and Maryland’s Attorney General Brian Frosh have also expressed their discontent with DeJoy’s leadership. On Friday, Racine joined another multi-state lawsuit against Trump-appointee DeJoy.

This story was updated with comments from state officials and Postal Service employees at Friday’s press conference.