USPS is changing its postmark definition. Here’s what it means for your ballot

[Elderberry]

Spectrum News by Ashley Gatz and Shannon Ryan 1/23/2026

The U.S. Postal Service is warning Americans voting by mail to send in their ballots early.

On Dec. 24, the Postal Service quietly clarified its postmarking policy, explaining that mail is postmarked on the day it is processed by the Postal Service, not when it’s dropped off at a post office.

What You Need To Know

•   The U.S. Postal Service is changing its definition of a postmark to clarify that mail is postmarked the day it is processed, not when it’s dropped off in a mailbox, which could affect mail-in ballots

•   The definition change means mail may be postmarked days after it is dropped off

•   Fourteen states accept ballots if they’re postmarked on or before election day, so the USPS is urging voters to send in ballots early so they are postmarked in time to be counted

•   The Supreme Court is also considering a case that could change how mail-in ballots are accepted

The change most directly impacts the timeline for voters in several states that use postmarks as a metric for when mail-in ballots can be accepted. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 14 states and the District of Columbia accept domestic mail-in ballots after election day if they were postmarked on or before election day.

As a result, ballots dropped off on election day or even a day or two prior may not be counted. A large percentage of voters wait until the last minute to cast their mail-in ballots.

“If the voters kind of maintain their standard behavior of waiting and mailing things back, then election administrators are going to find themselves having to reject more ballots,” said Tammy Patrick, chief program officer at the National Association of Election Officials.

The Postal Service changed its policies to reduce losses because of a decline in mail volume over the past few decades. The slimming down means the USPS is increasingly relying on large mail processing hubs instead of neighborhood post offices. It’s also acknowledging mail takes longer to process than it used to.

More: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2026/01/23/usps-postmark-ballot-change

[Smokin Joe]

I already knew this.

The processing center for my part of North Dakota is 250+ miles away. Which means if I mail a water bill payment (about 180 ft. from the box to the front door of City Hall) it travels 500+ miles to get across the parking lot.

After a couple of delays, I spoke with a vendor patiently waiting for his payment to arrive and asked him to let me know what the postmark said. It was Postmarked "Bismarck", two weeks after I had mailed it.

Ever on the path to losing business, those are two more payments I deliver in person, just to make sure they get where they are going on time.

The most famous event was during a year in which we had two blizzards, and though we could somehow keep the oil industry going, the folks in Bismarck couldn't get to work. Five days worth of incoming mail piled up, and instead of clearing the backlog (first in, first out) it apparently got pushed aside and pecked at when convenient.
My April payments to two vendors were not received. I got on the phone with them and arranged to make the payments over the phone, then stopped payment the checks at the bank because I had no idea where they were.
May came and the May payments, mailed, went through as normal, then, two weeks later, I got hit for presenting invalid instruments of payment (April's payments finally arrived, only the checks were stopped.) Total fees for all that amounted to about $120.00.

Now, that ticked me off a mite (those two payments are made by phone now), but imagine the financial mayhem of late payments, fees, interest, even possible repossessions or foreclosures for those really on the edge, imposed on half a State (or more)--all the result of piss poor management that didn't process the oldest mail first. God only knows how much that cost North Dakotans.

Last week I got mail on two days. Out of six.
 
The printer I ordered, anticipating delivery during the week-long spell of above freezing temperatures, was delayed in its delivery, long enough that it was well below zero when it finally fetched up on my step.

I haven't been able to ascertain what damage was done to the printer or the ink (which could damage the printer) as a result of those delays. I have been out in the patch, working a well.

All I know is I have less and less faith in the ability of the Postal Service to do its job. Maybe I will only order stuff in the Summertime.

[Kamaji]

That's why, if the post-mark date is critical - such as when submitting your tax return on the due date itself - either specifically requesting a hand cancellation on the envelope, or mailing by certified mail, gets you the postmark for the day/time you actually handed the envelope to the postal clerk.

[Free Vulcan]

I know it's going to be a major PITA to some, but if we can chop the Rats game of waiting till election nite to figure out how many votes they need right off at the knees, that would be bigly.

Genius move if it works.

[Fishrrman]

My answer to the question of mail-in ballots is simple:
BAN them.

The only people who should be able to vote by absentee are those who can prove need.
And be properly vetted as to such proof...

[Smokin Joe]

My answer to the question of mail-in ballots is simple:
BAN them.

The only people who should be able to vote by absentee are those who can prove need.
And be properly vetted as to such proof...

YEP!