Credit: Getty Images.

It’s Nov. 3, 2026, Election Day. Avoiding the lines at the polls, you patriotically fill out your mail-in ballot and take it to a post office well before the last daily pick-up time. You’re confident it will be postmarked that day, enabling your vote to be counted. Right?

Not necessarily.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

The U.S. Postal Service quietly changed its postmark policy on Dec. 24. Now, the postmark date will reflect when items start being processed at a central facility — which could be a day or even more after they're mailed.

That’s a big change in a country that has long relied on postmarks as proof that something was mailed on time. Tax returns sent on April 15, utility bills mailed on the due date, legal documents mailed right on deadline, and yes, ballots mailed on Election Day (or even a bit earlier) — all might now be considered late.

The Postal Service says this is simply about reining in costs for an agency that has long struggled with a decline in letters,........

© Times Union