WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Finance Committee, joined Senate colleagues in a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General David Steiner raising concerns with recent developments affecting postmark practices.
Right before the holiday season, USPS clarified its recent practices in a rule stating, “the postmark date does not inherently or necessarily align with the date on which the Postal Service first accepted possession of the mailpiece.” Due to recent Postal Service consolidations, this could make it harder to vote-by-mail on time, especially for folks in rural communities who rely on USPS to make their voices heard and access basic services like prescription drug deliveries and bill payments.
“This misguided decision to delay postmarks has potentially harmful implications for our election system, and vote-by-mail. Many states determine whether a mail-in ballot can be counted using the postmark date. Election officials are already concerned and warning that this change could ultimately lead to higher mailed ballots being rejected,” the Senators wrote to USPS Postmaster General David Steiner.
“Postmarks delays are especially problematic in states that vote entirely or largely by mail. Rural areas across the country will be especially impacted as experts estimate at least a one-day delay in postmark and mail delivery in rural areas,” the Senators continued. “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. As we enter a year with many local and federal elections, the risk of disrupting this vital democratic process demands your attention and action.”
They emphasized, “We should be working to make voting easier for eligible voters, not harder. These changes will only increase the likelihood of voter disenfranchisement. While voters can request a manual postmark at a post office, this is unrealistic for millions of voters who vote by mail and will only serve to discourage mail voting. Inevitably, many voters will not learn about the changes to their postal service until it is too late, creating uncertainty about whether their vote will be able to count.”
In the 2024 election, nearly 48 million people – almost a third of all voters – cast their ballots by mail. All states offer registered voters the opportunity to vote by mail in federal general elections and 12 states, including Washington – an early pioneer in expanding by-mail voting – conducted their 2024 elections entirely by mail. Washington and 13 other states have laws that allow for the counting of mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, so long as they are postmarked on or before the date of the election. In addition, Washington and 28 other states accept military and overseas ballots received after Election Day. This change by USPS to postmark practices could thus have significant impacts on voters nationwide and in Washington state – including rural voters, military and overseas voters, and many others who rely on rely on the mail to safely and securely cast their ballot.
In addition to Sen. Cantwell, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Dick Durbin (D-IL).
The full text of the letter can be found here and below:
Dear Postmaster General Steiner,
We write in strong opposition to the USPS’ decision to codify its decision to abandon the goal of timely postmarks by downgrading mail processing services. We urge you to immediately reverse the underlying mail processing changes which contribute significantly to new postmark delays, including the policy described in the new USPS Postmarks and Postal Possession Final Rule. Moving away from postmarking mailpieces on the date they are received into the postal system presents significant negative consequences for millions of Americans conducting commercial transactions, government functions, which alarmingly includes voting.
On December 24, 2025, the Postal Service added a new section to its Domestic Mail Manual, formally stating “the postmark date does not inherently or necessarily align with the date on which the Postal Service first accepted possession of the mailpiece.” This means that many voters and other users of the Postal Service could no longer receive a postmark the day they cast their ballot or drop off their tax forms in the mail. Instead, they will receive a postmark date when their mail reaches a regional processing center, which is likely to be significantly further away from their community due to recent USPS consolidations.
This misguided decision to delay postmarks has potentially harmful implications for our election system, and vote-by-mail. Many states determine whether a mail-in ballot can be counted using the postmark date. Election officials are already concerned and warning that this change could ultimately lead to higher mailed ballots being rejected.
Postmarks delays are especially problematic in states that vote entirely or largely by mail. Rural areas across the country will be especially impacted as experts estimate at least a one-day delay in postmark and mail delivery in rural areas. 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. As we enter a year with many local and federal elections, the risk of disrupting this vital democratic process demands your attention and action.
We should be working to make voting easier for eligible voters, not harder. These changes will only increase the likelihood of voter disenfranchisement. While voters can request a manual postmark at a post office, this is unrealistic for millions of voters who vote by mail and will only serve to discourage mail voting. Inevitably, many voters will not learn about the changes to their postal service until it is too late, creating uncertainty about whether their vote will be able to count.
Postmarks that do not match the date a mailpiece is first received by the USPS are often the direct result of eliminating twice daily mail dispatches from local post offices to regional processing centers under the Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan. Now, many mailpieces received after the first and only transfer truck leaves will sit overnight until the next daily transfer. This service downgrade should be reversed.
Delayed postmarks further pressure a mail delivery system struggling under the weight of ill- conceived cost-cutting measures. In recent years, mail processing facility closures and consolidations implemented under the disastrous “Delivering for America” plan have caused delays in mail delivery, affecting vital services like prescription deliveries, bill payments, and other essential communications. Seniors, rural residents, and small business owners have been particularly impacted by downgraded postal services. In addition to election and tax implications, delayed postmarks will result in late fees, missed legal document submissions, application denials, overdue notices, and increased costs for the American people.
In addition to restoring timely postmarks and ensuring voters aren’t negatively impacted, we urge the Postal Service to promptly engage cooperatively with union representatives to fully stand up the Postal Election Mail Task Force. Early engagement between management and postal workers will help ensure all necessary extraordinary measures are well understood and ready for implementation as election mail comes in for processing.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing your plans to address these concerns and request a response no later than 14 days from today.