Mail-in Ballot Concerns Amid Postal Service Changes

A significant concern has emerged for voters relying on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to return mail-in ballots close to Election Day: the risk of a late postmark leading to ballot rejection. Recent changes in the mailing system have prompted many election officials to advise voters to use local election offices or drop boxes for returning ballots, as trust in the timely delivery of ballots by the Postal Service has diminished.

This distrust grew after a legal battle in which President Trump’s push to restrict voting by mail was blocked by the Supreme Court. Election officials typically use postmarks on envelopes stamped by USPS to verify that a ballot was sent by Election Day. With Election Day approaching, USPS has announced special postmarking procedures in affected post offices as part of its policy to enhance mail service for the elections. Despite these measures, USPS still recommends mailing ballots at least a week before the state’s deadline.

Impact of Mailing System Changes

Since April 2025, USPS has implemented changes including cuts in daily mail pickups and processing changes at selected post offices, primarily in rural areas. This is part of a 10-year reorganization plan, known as “Regional Transportation Optimization,” aimed at stabilizing finances. Consequently, USPS may not always postmark an envelope on the day of collection. From October 26, USPS will separate returned ballots from other mail to ensure managers can manually postmark them on the day they are collected, a procedure absent during recent primaries that saw higher ballot rejection rates.

Elena Patel, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, expressed cautious optimism about USPS plans but highlighted the potential risk for voters. It’s uncertain how post offices, especially those with limited staffing, will implement these new procedures.

An analysis by Patel indicates that 43,000 to 55,000 ballots could be rejected for late arrival due to the RTO effort. “These are some of the realities of running a very large postal network on tight finances,” Patel noted, drawing on her experience as an economist at the Postal Regulatory Commission.

USPS Extraordinary Measures

Starting October 24, USPS may extend operating hours and set up lines or drive-throughs for voters seeking a manual postmark on their mail-in ballots. On October 26, USPS also plans to expedite ballot delivery. Despite previously starting these extraordinary measures 15 days before Election Day in past elections, USPS explained that the timeline for measures is carefully planned based on various factors, asserting its confidence in handling election mail effectively.

Michelle Sparck, director of Get Out the Native Vote in Alaska, expressed concerns about the system’s challenges, especially in Alaska Native villages where some absentee ballots were rejected due to postmarking delays. “Even on a good Alaskan day, without weather challenges, reliable postal operations aren’t guaranteed,” she said, urging voters to plan ahead. Sparck encourages early voting to ensure ballots are securely part of the custody chain in the community.

Voters are advised to act early and consider local options for returning ballots to avoid issues arising from mailing delays.