The United States Postal Service (USPS) has implemented a final rule that could lead to “late” mail for people paying their bills, voting or donating by mail.
The new rule, which went into effect Dec. 24, clarifies that postmarks reflect the date of the first automated processing — not necessarily the actual mailing date.
The issue is the postmark can occur days after the item is mailed. The Postal Service says the change is intended to clarify how postmarks are applied, particularly as transportation schedules and regional processing systems evolve.
“In recognition of the importance that the election laws in some states place on postmarks, it has been the longstanding policy of the Postal Service to try to ensure that every return ballot mailed by voters receives a postmark, whether the return ballot is mailed with postage pre-paid by election officials or with a stamp affixed by the voter,” officials wrote in a release. “A voter can ensure that a postmark is applied to his or her return ballot by visiting a Postal Service retail office and requesting a postmark from a retail associate when dropping off the ballot.”
Public reactions
Healthcare advocates weighed in on on the new USPS rule expressing concern for it’s future implications. A tiktok user from the account @cjnlegalnurse outlined how the rule shift moves risk away from institutions and onto individuals.
“Many states say a mail-in ballot counts if it’s postmarked by election day,” the user said. “Under this rule, you can mail your ballot before election day and still have it postmarked after. So that’s not voter fraud, that’s logistics quietly overruling intent.”
“Health care runs on mail deadlines, appeals, prior authorizations, Medicare notices, and prescription paperwork,” the user said. “If an appeal has to be postmarked by a certain date and USPS processes days later, it looks late. So late appeals get denied. Denied appeals delay care.”
How to ensure an on-time postmark
- To ensure a same-day postmark, you must visit a post office and ask for a manual stamp, as blue boxes often get postmarked days later at regional centers.
- Purchase postage at the counter, where printed labels include the correct acceptance date.
- Use certified or registered mail, which provides official evidence of the mailing date.