Election officials urge ballot boxes over USPS as new policies could delay deliveries

[RandySF]

Washington’s top election officials are urging residents to return their ballots early and to use drop boxes instead of mail-in voting, as new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) standards could delay postmarks and deliveries.

King County Elections spokesperson Haley Watkins said some counties started noticing — for the first time — problems during the August primary, when ballots weren’t always marked the same day carriers picked them up. The new USPS rules clarify that postmarks may no longer reflect the day mail was first collected.

“I know several other counties did see a big, big jump in how many ballots were returned too late because they didn’t get that postmark,” Watkins said. “You are not guaranteed a postmark on the same day that you drop your ballot in the mail.”

In a statement sent to KIRO Newsradio, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said voters should “consider using a drop box, going to a voting center, or physically visiting a post office within seven days of the Nov. 4 general election,” adding that his office can’t guarantee ballots mailed later will be postmarked in time.



https://mynorthwest.com/local/mail-in-voting/4148539

[Inkey]

1. All election mail should be

Hand stamped when it arrives at the
sorting facility. The machines that are
used to process incoming mail eventually
is sorted with a barcode on its envelope.
Some get an additional fluorescent ID
tag applied to the back of the mail piece
also giving a unique time and date code.
However there will be a percentage of
these ballots that drift in the mainstream.
These are just as important now that
States are implementing various , thumbs
on the scale, exclusion laws.

[Wounded Bear]

2. That's my plan...nt