With special elections in February, we want to make everyone aware of United State Postal Service changes that could affect how your ballot is postmarked—and counted.

The League of Women Voters US provides this explanation of rule update the USPS made on Dec. 24: In simple terms, it clearly defines what, how, and when a postmark is applied or used. It does not make operational changes to the way that mail is processed.

The USPS's definition makes clear that a postmark does NOT indicate the date a piece of mail was sent (accepted by a postal worker, dropped in an official USPS mailbox, or received at a local post office). Instead, it indicates when a piece of mail was received by a USPS processing facility.

This does not change the way that mail-in ballots (or any other mail) are processed. Postmarks will continue to be applied in the same manner as they were previously applied. However, voters should know that a local post office may NOT be the processing facility that applies the postmark. In some cases, the mail may be sent to another facility. This means that a ballot mailed at a local post office might not be postmarked by 8 pm on election day, which is the requirement.

What should my League focus on?

Leagues will be instrumental in reminding voters about Washington state's mail-in ballot deadlines and processes. Check with your local Elections Office for additional details.

• What is the deadline to receive ballots in Washington state?
  According to the Secretary of State’s website: “Your ballot must either be postmarked no later than Election Day or returned to a ballot drop box by 8 pm on Election Day. If mailing your ballot within a week of Election Day, be mindful of mailbox collection times or use an official ballot drop box. A late postmark could disqualify your ballot.”
• Share the location of ballot drop boxes.

It’s important to help voters make a plan to return their ballot. If they plan to use the US Postal Service, encourage them to return their mail-in ballot no later than one week prior to the deadline. You can also share information about how to have their ballot manually postmarked if they are concerned about the timeline, help them locate drop boxes near them, or direct them to drop off their ballot at the office of their election official (if available).

You can read more on the LWV website here.