Sending time-sensitive mail? Pay attention to this new Postal Service rule

The following article was published in the International Examiner.

By Hong Ta
International Examiner

People sending time-sensitive postage, such as ballots, tax filings, government service documents and bill payments are now impacted by a new USPS clarification of postmark rules. A postmark will no longer represent the date the mail was dropped off, but instead the date of when it was first accepted by the automated processing operation. This affects whether a time-sensitive piece of mail is considered to be on time.

“If a customer wants to ensure that a mailpiece receives a postmark and that the postmark aligns with the date of mailing, the customer may take the mailpiece to a Post Office, station, or branch and request a manual (local) postmark at the retail counter when tendering their mail piece,” said Janella Herron, USPS spokesperson, in a statement.

This update has implications for voting, and will impact voters who mail in their ballots closer to the deadline on Election Day at 8 p.m. To make sure ballots are counted on time, the Washington Secretary of State Office has stated, “We encourage voters planning to return their ballot by mail to consider using a drop box or a voting center within seven days of Election Day.” The office is also recommending voters to vote early and sign up for ballot status text notifications at votewa.gov. 

“We are fortunate to have an 18-day voting period and have several convenient ballot return options available to voters,” the Secretary of State Office stated. “While we are confident in the services the USPS provides Washingtonians every day, we recommend taking full advantage of the 18-day voting period.”

According to USPS, this update only clarifies existing practices for customers. The meaning of a postmark date was not specifically defined previously.

“It does not signal a change in postmarking procedures with regard to how or what we postmark but is instead intended to improve public understanding of the information postmarks convey, when in the course of operations they are typically applied, and their relationship to the date of mailing,”  USPS spokesperson Herron in a statement.

When the Postal Services published a proposed rule in the Federal Register clarifying the meaning of postmarks, it received comments from the public. People raised concerns about disproportionate impacts on disabled, elderly and rural communities who rely heavily on mailing time-sensitive items and live further away from post offices to request manual postmark, disproportionately impacting them. 

Local organizations such as the Chinese Information and Services Center have also emphasized how the update could negatively impact the senior citizens they serve.

“Many older adults still rely heavily on traditional mail for essential communications, including bills, medical information, and government correspondence. If the postmark process becomes less predictable or is delayed, seniors may face significant challenges in meeting deadlines for crucial documents, such as application for benefits, immigration documents, etc. This unpredictability can lead to missed deadlines, added stress, and increased anxiety,” said Boliver Choi, the senior center director at the Chinese Information and Services Center.  

In response to the public commenting process, USPS committed to a targeted education campaign.

“In addition to the present rulemaking, the Postal Service is developing an approach to provide public and internal education regarding postmarking,” according to USPS in a statement. “We will engage in a coordinated effort to post customer-facing information on usps.com, including making it easier to find resources.”

However, USPS has not announced whether there will be extra staffing during the weeks preceding important deadlines to account for the manual postmark requests, despite public commenters recommending this practice. 

“As yet, however, there is no evidence of surging retail traffic by customers desiring a postmark ahead of various deadlines that might necessitate additional staff to ensure that sensitive documents receive a postmark,” reads the Postal Service’s notice of update. 

In addition, public commenters raised concerns about voter disenfranchisement, if election officials were to reject mail-in ballots with postmark dates past the deadline. In response, USPS committed to engaging with election officials before federal elections and communicating clear information on postmarking, clarifying that USPS does not engage in election rulemaking. 

“The Postal Service does not administer elections, establish the rules or deadlines that govern elections, or determine whether or how election jurisdictions utilize the mail or incorporate our postmark into their rules. The Postal Service also does not advocate for or against any particular voting practices (including mail-in voting),” the USPS update clarified.

USPS recommends mailing in documents early ahead of deadlines and for time-sensitive mail, going into postal offices in person to obtain a manual postmark from staff members.