Rep. Sewell Demands Immediate Reopening of Akron Post Office After Abrupt Closure Ahead of Midterm Elections

Akr on, AL — Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner and Senior Vice President of Facilities and Infrastructure Benjamin Kuo demanding the immediate reopening of the Akron Post Office after USPS abruptly shut down the facility on October 14, 2026, without warning to the community. Sewell spoke out against the closure on social media on Wednesday. The closure came 16 days before the previously announced October 30 closure date and just weeks before the November midterm elections. Residents arrived to find the doors chained shut and their P.O. boxes dismantled, leaving many without clear instructions on how to access their mail at the Moundville location. In her letter, Sewell raised serious concerns about conflicting information from USPS regarding the closure. While USPS cited failed lease negotiations, documentation provided to Sewell's office indicates that the property owner agreed in writing to maintain the existing rental rate through 2031. The property owner also denied issuing the notice to vacate that USPS cited as justification for the closure. Sewell warned that the abrupt closure could jeopardize residents’ ability to receive and return absentee ballots in time to be counted. Completed absentee ballots must be received by Hale County by October 27, leaving voters with little time to navigate the disruption. “By shuttering the Post Office without warning, USPS has jeopardized residents' ability to receive and return their absentee ballots in time to be counted,” Sewell wrote. “The possibility that eligible voters could be disenfranchised because of USPS's unilateral decision to close this facility, without adequate notice or a plan to protect election mail, is wholly unacceptable." Sewell also questioned whether USPS followed federal requirements governing the suspension or discontinuance of postal services and raised concerns about the agency’s failure to provide adequate notice to residents. In her letter, Sewell is requesting that USPS: Immediately reopen the Akron Post Office. Explain the circumstances surrounding the closure and provide documentation supporting USPS’s stated reasons. Develop a plan to restore mail services at the Akron location through at least October 30, the previously announced closure date. Detail the steps being taken to protect, process, and deliver all election mail, including ballots that were at the facility when it closed. Provide documentation demonstrating compliance with federal regulations governing the suspension or discontinuance of postal services. Sewell requested a written response from USPS by Monday, October 19, 2026. “The residents of Akron, Alabama have the right to access their mail, including but not limited to Social Security checks, medications, bills, and ballots so they can exercise their sacred right to vote in the upcoming election,” Sewell wrote. Read the full letter here . ###