Late postmarks can put mailed ballots at risk

Mailing date and postmark date can differ

A ballot mailed close to Election Day may not receive a postmark showing the day the voter placed it in the mail. That difference matters when the postmark is used to decide whether a ballot met the applicable deadline.

Mailing a ballot involves more than putting it into a mailbox. The ballot must also enter the postal system and receive a postmark. When those steps occur on different days, the postmark can show a later date than the day the voter deposited the envelope.

A voter therefore cannot assume that mailing a ballot on or shortly before Election Day guarantees a timely postmark. If election officials must rely on the postmark, a date after the deadline can make the ballot ineligible to be counted.

What voters should consider

The risk increases as Election Day approaches because there is less time between mailing and the deadline. The issue is the date recorded on the envelope, not simply the voter’s decision to place the ballot in the mail before voting ends.

Voters using mail should allow time for the ballot to be collected and postmarked before the applicable cutoff. Waiting until Election Day can create uncertainty about which date will appear on the envelope.

The warning concerns ballot timing and processing rather than any candidate or race. Voters should pay close attention to the instructions and deadlines that apply to their ballot, including any rules tied to postmarks and receipt by election officials.