“While our management team and the men and women of the Postal Service have established the path toward financial sustainability and high operating performance — and we have instituted enormous beneficial change to what had been an adrift and moribund organization — much work remains that is necessary to sustain our positive trajectory,” DeJoy wrote in a statement. “I also have no doubt that the entirety of the Postal Service will aggressively shape its future and become more efficient, capable, and competitive as it continuously changes and improves to best serve the American public.”

This follows DeJoy’s letter to the Board of Governors in February that signaled he planned to quit. In this letter, he said his role was made more difficult by “the almost unceasing resistance to change.” DeJoy took on the role in June 2020 amid the pandemic and presidential election that would largely take place via mail-in voting.

By 2024, out of the 3.37 billion pieces of political mail and election mail, the average delivery time was one day, according to USPS. That meant more than 97% of ballots got to local election officials in fewer than three days and that more than 99% got to them within seven days. However, 150,630 ballots sent between Oct. 31 and Election Day, according to USPS, were likely “physically impossible for that voter to receive the Ballot Mail, complete their ballot, and return their ballot by mail in time to meet the jurisdiction’s deadline.” Over 30,000 ballots were sent to voters on Election Day.

Deputy Postmaster General Douglas Tulino will serve in the interim until the board decides on a permanent replacement. The USPS did not offer a timeline for its decision.

Five years ago, before the board nominated DeJoy as its 75th postmaster, stamps cost 50 cents. By the end of DeJoy’s tenure, they cost 73 cents, a 36% increase. Stamp sales help fund the Postal Service, as it does not receive tax dollars toward its operating expenses. The hike will result in an anticipated $44 billion in revenue by 2031.

USPS SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH DOGE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, CUT 10,000 WORKERS

Last November, the Postal Service reported an annual loss of $6.5 billion. That year, first-class mail was at its lowest volume since 1968. 

Earlier this month, the service launched a “Voluntary Early Retirement program” in an effort to cut 10,000 jobs. DeJoy had a goal to cut 30,000 jobs starting in 2021.