Jayapal raises concerns with recent changes to postmark practices at the US Postal Service that invalidates ballots

Photo by Casey Atkins/Campaign Legal Center

Congresswoman Pramilia Jayapal reports that she signed a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General David Steiner raising concerns with recent changes it made to postmark practices. 

Under these changes, mail may not be postmarked the day a person mails it, but instead after it reaches a regional processing center. 

We are already seeing the consequences. In September, I joined Secretary of State Steve Hobbs to release a new snapshot report showing that late-postmark rejection rates more than doubled in 19 Washington counties compared to the 2024 primaries – with rural counties seeing the most negative impacts – following adoption of the new policy, which can delay postmarking of mail-in ballots by several days. 

During our state’s February 2026 special election, for example, 75% of the total rejected ballots were due to late postmarks. 

In addition, Snohomish County recently conducted a test to assess the postal delivery times and found that 80% of sample ballots were not postmarked the same day they were mailed.

Voters are urged to take their ballots to drop boxes (not mail boxes) no later than 8pm on Tuesday November 3, 2026, or take the ballot into the post office to have it postmarked.