U.S. Postal Service’s new rule on postmarks could affect mail voters
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has enacted a new final rule, effective December 24, 2025, which clarifies that a postmark date reflects when mail is processed at a USPS facility, not necessarily when it is dropped off. This change has significant implications for election policies in states that rely on postmarks to determine if a mail-in ballot was submitted on time.
Key Policy Change Details
Old definition (general expectation): The postmark typically indicated the date and location where the USPS first accepted possession of the mail item, such as at a local post office or collection box.
New definition (clarification): The official postmark date now explicitly means the date the item is first processed by an automated sorting machine, usually at a large, regional processing hub.
The gap: Due to recent USPS operational overhauls and transportation changes, there can be a delay of one or more days between dropping off mail and its arrival at a processing facility to receive a postmark.
Impact on elections: For the 14 states and Washington D.C. that have election laws allowing mail-in ballots to be counted if they are postmarked on or before Election Day, ballots dropped in a mailbox on Election Day might not be postmarked until the next day or later, potentially leading to their rejection.
Recommendations for Voters
To ensure a time-sensitive document, such as a mail-in ballot or tax return, is considered on time:
Request a manual postmark: Take the mail item to a retail counter at a post office and explicitly request a manual, hand-stamped postmark with the current date. This service is provided free of charge.
Use official drop boxes: If available in your area, use an official election drop box managed by local election officials to ensure your ballot is received by the deadline.
Plan ahead: Mail time-sensitive documents several days before the deadline to accommodate potential processing delays.
Track your ballot: Use state-specific services, like Track my Ballot (votetexas.gov) or contact your local election office, to confirm when your ballot was received and counted.
This change has led to concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement and has prompted election officials to encourage voters to use drop boxes or mail their ballots earlier.
(by Anna Xiong, Kelley Center for Government Information and Civic Engagement and Veronica Reyna, Center for Civic Leadership)
