USPS changes risk late-postmarked mail ballots, prompting push for drop-box voting

Since April 2025 the U.S. Postal Service has been scaling back one outlet pick-ups and processing at many locations as part of its Regional Transportation Optimization effort, a component of a decade-long financial restructuring. Because post offices may no longer automatically stamp the collection date, ballots mailed near Election Day risk a postmark that falls after the deadline, causing rejection. To mitigate this, USPS will begin "extraordinary measures" in the weeks before the election, including manual postmarks, half-hour extensions of office hours, and dedicated lanes for voters.

Nevertheless, senior fellow Elena Patel warns that uneven staffing could still leave thousands of ballots—estimated between 43,000 and 55,000—unusable. Voter-rights advocates like Michelle Sparck, who works with Alaska Native communities, stress the importance of early voting and using drop boxes to avoid the postal bottleneck. The changes arrive amid declining confidence in the Postal Service’s ability to deliver ballots on time.