Dropping mail today doesn’t guarantee today’s postmark anymore, and the change could trip up deadlines for bills and ballots, according to the AP.
United States Postal Service clarified that a postmark only shows when mail hits processing machines — not when you drop it in a mailbox. Under new efficiency and cost-saving measures, some mail won’t be processed until a day after pickup, making it appear late even if you sent it on time.
The Postal Service urges customers sending time-sensitive mail to visit a post office counter and request a manual postmark to lock in the date.
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