Sixteen U.S. senators — mostly Democrats and one independent — warned the Postal Service that recent transportation and processing changes could delay postmarks and risk disenfranchising mail‑in voters ahead of elections that will shape Congressional control. The USPS says it is not changing postmarking practices but has adjusted transportation operations, meaning some mailpieces may be postmarked at regional centers on later dates. Officials in mail‑voting states urged voters to return ballots early or use drop boxes, and senators requested restoration of timely postmarks and a fully staffed election mail task force.
Senators Warn USPS Postmark Changes Could Disenfranchise Mail‑In Voters Ahead Of Crucial Elections
FILE - Employees sort vote-by-mail ballots from municipal elections on Election Day at the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Office, Nov. 4, 2025, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
PORTLAND, Ore. — Sixteen U.S. senators, mostly Democrats and including one independent who typically aligns with them, sent a letter Thursday to Postmaster General David Steiner warning that recent U.S. Postal Service operational changes could delay postmarks and risk disenfranchising voters who cast ballots by mail during an election year that will help determine control of Congress.
What The Senators Say
The lawmakers raised alarm about an updated USPS policy stating that postmarks may reflect the date a piece of mail was handled at a processing center rather than the date it was first collected. Because the Postal Service has consolidated facilities, processing centers are increasingly farther from some communities, the senators wrote, which could push postmark dates later.
"Postmark delays are especially problematic in states that vote entirely or largely by mail," the senators wrote to Postmaster General Steiner, noting that many states use postmark dates to determine whether a mailed ballot is valid. "These changes will only increase the likelihood of voter disenfranchisement."
Concerns For Rural And Mail‑Voting States
The letter highlighted the particular risk to rural voters whose mail must travel farther to reach regional processing hubs. "In theory, a rural voter could submit their ballot in time according to their state law, but due to the changes you are implementing, their legally-cast ballot would not be counted as it sits in a local post office," the senators warned.
Officials Respond
The Postal Service confirmed it received the letter and said it will respond directly to the signers, agency spokeswoman Martha Johnson said. The USPS points visitors to an explanation on its website: while postmarking practices are not being changed, adjustments to transportation operations mean some mailpieces may not reach originating processing facilities on the same day they are mailed. As a result, the date applied at a processing facility may not match the date a carrier collected the item or a customer dropped it off.
Johnson emphasized that the final rule "does not change any existing postal operations or postmarking practices" and said the agency intends to clarify the senators' concerns. The USPS also notes that customers can request a manual postmark at a post office — free of charge — to ensure the postmark date matches the mail date.
Operational Changes And Election Impact
The agency acknowledged that a "lack of alignment" between mailing and postmark dates may become more common as it implements an initiative to overhaul processing and transportation networks in favor of regional hubs to reduce costs. As part of that plan, the Postal Service eliminated twice-daily dispatches from local post offices to regional centers; mail arriving after the single remaining daily transfer now can sit overnight until the next transfer.
State election officials in jurisdictions that rely heavily on mail ballots voiced concern. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said uncertainty over same‑day postmarking undermines vote‑by‑mail and announced plans to urge voters to return ballots early. Washington state's elections office recommended that voters who submit ballots within a week of Election Day use drop boxes or voting centers, citing no guarantee that mailed ballots will be postmarked the same day.
What Senators Requested
The senators urged Postmaster General Steiner to restore "timely postmarks" and to fully staff an election mail task force to protect the integrity of mailed ballots. The letter was signed by lawmakers representing California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland.
The debate underscores tensions between the Postal Service's cost‑cutting operational reforms and the need for reliable election mail handling as the country heads into a high‑stakes election year.
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