Voters Demand Protection and Funding for the USPS

Executive Summary

By substantial margins, nearly all segments of voters prefer the USPS be funded as an essential service like the military, rather requiring it to cover its own costs like a business.

We asked voters whether they think either (a) that the USPS should be funded as an essential service similar to the fire department, military, and highway system, or (b) that it should be required to cover its own costs like a stand-alone business. We found that a clear majority (60%) of voters believe that USPS should be treated as an essential service, compared with only 32% percent of voters who believe it should be treated like a business.

While attitudes were loosely correlated with self-identified party affiliation, all segments include substantial support for treating the USPS as an essential service. Voters who self-identify as Democrats overwhelmingly want the USPS funded as an essential service (74% vs. 21% preferring it be treated as a business). A clear majority of voters who self-identify as Independent/third-party want the USPS funded as an essential service (59% vs. 24%). Voters who self-identify as Republican were roughly split (45% vs 50%).