How this new mail-in rule could affect your ballot, tax return and more

A new US Postal Service rule on how your mail is handled could affect your ballot, taxes and other time-sensitive deliveries.

The rule, which took effect on Christmas Eve, defines the meaning of a postmark, which is the date printed or stamped on most items sent in the mail. In the past, the postmark generally indicated the date USPS received the item. Now, this will clearly mean the date that USPS processes the item.

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The update “does not change any existing mailing processes or mailmarking practices, but is instead intended to improve public understanding of postal marks and their relationship to the date of mailing,” the Postal Service’s new rule says.

Although it seems like a simple amendment, the rule raises big questions for legal and administrative systems that rely on postal marks to indicate when something is being mailed.

One example: mail-in ballots.

In states like California and Nevada, mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day in order to be counted, otherwise they will be delayed and not included. In the past, voters could usually expect to have their ballot postmarked the same day they dropped it off. But new longer transportation distances for your mail could mean more time between dropping your ballot off at the post office and receiving a postmark — and potentially the difference between your vote being counted and missing the deadline.

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The beleaguered postal system is undergoing a sweeping reorganization, including consolidating nearly 200 sector facilities — where mail is typically postmarked — into 60 regional processing sites, which will likely receive fewer truck deliveries daily.

Although it seems like a simple amendment, the rule raises big questions for legal and administrative systems that rely on postal marks to indicate when something is being mailed. Archive photo by Andrew Kelly

More than 70% of post offices will now be more than 50 miles away from a regional processing center, according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution. More than 25% of post offices will be 150 miles or more away.

For mailers, there are ways to make sure your ballot and tax documents meet the deadlines. The IRS allows private carriers like FedEx or UPS to deliver your documents.

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But not all boards of elections offer the same bonuses, so be sure to check your local and state rules. USPS recommends bringing any mail items that require one-day postmarking to a staffed retail location and requesting a free manual postmark.

Otherwise, if you drop important documents in the mailbox, make sure to do so before the deadline.