Recent guidance from the U.S. Postal Service is prompting election officials and voter advocates in Texas to encourage residents not to wait until the last minute to mail voter registration forms or mail-in ballots. The updated postal guidance clarifies that mail may not receive a postmark on the same day it is dropped off, which could affect whether election-related mail meets legal deadlines.
According to the USPS, postmarks are applied when mail reaches a processing facility, not necessarily when it is placed in a mailbox or handed over at a local drop box. This means that a voter who deposits a registration form or ballot close to a deadline could risk missing the required postmark date, even if the mail was submitted on time.
In Texas, postmarks play a critical role in determining whether voter registration applications and mail ballots are accepted. Because the state does not offer online voter registration, Texans must submit paper applications either in person or by mail. For voters hoping to participate in the March 3 primary election, registration applications must be received by the county voter registrar or postmarked by Feb. 2.
Mail-in voting has similar requirements. Voters who qualify to vote by mail must first submit an application for a mail ballot. For the March primary, those applications must be received by the end of business on Feb. 20, with the exact cutoff time varying by county. Once a ballot is received, it must be postmarked by Election Day, March 3, and received by 5 p.m. on March 4 in order to be counted.
The USPS guidance has raised concerns because a ballot dropped in a mailbox on Election Day might not receive a same-day postmark. If the postmark is dated after Election Day, the ballot could be rejected under Texas law. As a result, voters are encouraged to mail ballots well in advance or take extra precautions.
One option for voters is to bring election mail directly to a post office and request a manual postmark. This can help ensure that the postmark reflects the correct date. Another alternative is delivering a mail ballot in person, though Texas law allows this only on Election Day itself. Voters may deliver only their own ballot, must go to the elections office, and are required to present a photo ID.
Special rules apply for voters living overseas or serving in the military. Ballots from overseas voters must be received by March 9, provided the carrier envelope shows a postmark indicating it was mailed by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Military voters who submitted a Federal Post Card Application have the same March 9 deadline, but their ballots do not need a postmark.
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