The U.S. Postal Service's new postmark rules, effective December 2025, may result in longer delays between when mail is sent and when it is postmarked. This is particularly significant as the October 15 deadline for tax returns and the November 3 deadline for midterm election ballots approach.
Taxpayers can ensure their returns are postmarked on time by visiting a post office for a manual postmark, but voters may face challenges since many states require mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day, regardless of the postmark date.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 35 states mandate that ballots must arrive by Election Day, while others allow for postmarked ballots to be counted if they arrive within a specified timeframe. The Postal Service has acknowledged that its operational changes, including reduced pickups and longer travel times, could exacerbate these delays.
To mitigate this, the Postal Service plans to implement extraordinary measures to expedite mail-in ballots ahead of the election, such as additional deliveries to election offices and hand-postmarking ballots. However, these measures do not guarantee timely delivery, prompting election officials to advise voters to mail their ballots at least a week before the deadline.
Taxpayers filing by mail are also encouraged to seek manual postmarks or consider electronic filing to avoid potential issues with postmark delays