USPS Postmark Change Could Affect Your Ballot and Bill Deadlines

The U.S. Postal Service is changing how it dates your mail, and it could affect everything from tax filings to election ballots.

For decades, a postmark indicated the date mail was accepted at a post office, serving as official proof that a sender met a deadline. Under the new system, the postmark will instead reflect when an envelope is first processed by an automated sorting machine—which may be a day or more after it was actually dropped off.

The shift means that mail deposited on a deadline day may no longer receive that date's postmark. For time-sensitive items like ballot submissions, bill payments, or legal documents, mail them several days before any deadline to ensure your postmark clears in time.