The U.S. Postal Service says it is ready to deliver election ballots securely and on time, but voters mailing in their ballots should plan ahead as Election Day approaches.
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USPS recommends domestic voters mail completed ballots before Election Day and at least one week before the ballots must be received by their local election office.
The agency says its nationwide postal network is operating without major reported disruptions. Through Oct. 9, 97.98% of ballot mail was delivered on time compared with the Postal Service’s service standards.
The Postal Service is also preparing additional measures to speed up ballot deliveries during the final stretch of the election season.
Those measures began yesterday, and will continue through the last day each state’s election officials will accept completed mail-in ballots as timely.
The additional steps include extra mail deliveries and collections, special pickups, expedited sorting at processing facilities and localized handling and transportation of ballots.
“The Postal Service is confident and ready to deliver a successful Election Mail season,” Postmaster General David Steiner said in a statement.
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USPS officials also pointed to the agency’s record during the 2024 general election, when 99.6% of ballots mailed by voters were delivered to election officials within three days, according to the Postal Service’s post-election analysis.
The agency says its procedures for the 2026 general election will remain consistent with previous election cycles.
Voters should also be aware that the date on a ballot’s postmark may not match the day it was dropped in a mailbox or collected by a letter carrier. USPS says transportation changes can mean mail does not reach the processing facility where postmarks are applied on the same day it is mailed.
Voters who want the postmark date to match the day they submit their ballot can bring the completed ballot-return envelope to a post office retail counter and request a manual postmark at no charge.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will also monitor election mail processing and delivery operations and review security procedures. The agency is working with federal, state and local partners to protect election mail and address potential threats.
Anyone who suspects election mail-related criminal activity can contact the Postal Inspection Service hotline at 877-876-2455 or file a report at USPIS.gov/report.
Voters can find additional election mail guidance through the U.S. Postal Service.
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