STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
The U.S. Postal Service recommends that voters mail completed November election ballots at least one week before they are due at local election offices.
Starting Saturday, Oct. 24, USPS says it will begin what it calls “extraordinary measures” to handle ballots as Election Day approaches. Those steps include extra mail collections and deliveries, special pickups and changes to how ballots are sorted and transported to election offices.
The Postal Service said nearly 98% of ballot mail was delivered on time through Oct. 9. During the 2024 election, 99.6% of ballots reached election officials within three days.
Voters should also be aware that a ballot’s postmark may not match the day it was mailed, according to USPS. Some mail does not reach a processing facility until the following day, when it is typically postmarked.
Voters who want a same-day postmark can bring their ballot to a USPS retail counter and request one. The service is free, according to the Postal Service.
A postmark does not guarantee that a ballot will reach election officials before the receipt deadline. Mailing a ballot on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, does not guarantee it will arrive in time.
Key Facts:
– USPS recommends mailing completed ballots at least one week before the election office deadline.
– Extra ballot-handling measures begin Oct. 24.
– Nearly 98% of ballot mail was delivered on time through Oct. 9, USPS said.
– In 2024, 99.6% of ballots reached election officials within three days.
– Free, same-day postmarks are available by request at USPS retail counters.
What’s Next:
USPS says additional collections, deliveries and special pickups will begin Oct. 24 as the Nov. 3 election approaches. Its recommendation remains to allow at least one week for completed ballots to reach election offices before their deadlines.
