Louis DeJoy

The U.S. Postal Service has an answer at the very top of its official tracking page. A disclaimer there notes the system is "experiencing unprecedented volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impacts of COVID-19." That combination is making it tough on those at the other end of the mailbox.

The U.S. Postal Service still has a number of hurdles to overcome to support upcoming general election mail-in ballots, its inspector general's office says.

The agency serves areas where private carriers won't go. And in those remote communities, which helped elect the president, the Postal Service can be seen as a lifeline as well as a human connection.

The U.S. Postal Service has suffered from financial problems for years, but Louis DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser, chose this summer to cut some overtime, withdraw sorting machines and impose other operational changes that have effectively reduced the system's throughput.

Louis DeJoy, an ally of President Trump, has come under fire in recent weeks for what's viewed as directives to slow down USPS in order to suppress absentee or mail-in votes.

Critics charge the new postmaster general intends to make the Postal Service more of a business than a service, which opponents say could cause disruptions for customers.