Late Postmarks Spike in Washington and Oregon Ballots Amid USPS Changes
Late postmarks surge in Washington and Oregon ballots as USPS changes raise concerns over mail-in voting reliability.
POLICY WIRE — Seattle, United States — The number of ballots rejected due to late postmarks has sharply increased in Washington and Oregon, according to new data raising alarms about the impact of U.S. Postal Service reforms ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The Postal Service’s ongoing restructuring, which includes consolidating operations into regional hubs to cut costs, has led to concerns that mail-in ballots may not be postmarked on time, even if they are submitted by Election Day. This has resulted in thousands of valid votes being discarded during recent primaries, prompting calls for urgent action from election officials.
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Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read highlighted the issue, stating that many voters had their ballots rejected simply because they arrived too late through the mail. In Washington, the problem has been particularly severe in rural areas where drop boxes are less accessible, leading to a sharp rise in late-postmarked ballots. Officials are now pushing for additional resources to ensure all votes are counted fairly.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
