No Mail?

At the beginning of my run I stopped at the drive-thru mailboxes (called snorkel chutes by some) to mail some postcards and found the chute covered and locked. I went over to the traditional box, dropped them in, and went on my way. 

When I went back in the afternoon the chutes were still covered (or maybe covered again?). I tried to drop them in the regular boxes, but those were so full I couldn't open them. 

I went around to the other side of the locked boxes and found one that was not completely full and dropped in the mail. Many drivers pulled up and I added their mail to the boxes, too. Pick up was scheduled in about ten minutes so I was not worried about mail theft. I had not seen the articles from the summer saying that locked mailboxes were evidence of voter suppression, followed by articles saying the evidence showed that the boxes were locked to prevent mail theft.

I have been worried about mail theft in the past and written to the USPS Inspector General's office. "The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is responsible for ensuring Postal Service employees' safety and the security of the mail." Many, many mornings I have stopped by to drop off mail and there has been mail stuck to huge pieces of tape (like the kind in some rodent traps?).  I never thought anyone was stealing ballots but I guessed they were hoping for mail with gift cards or cash.

Will our boxes be unlocked after Christmas? Will they be removed like in a town to the east? Time will tell.