Thousands of voters in Washington and Oregon have had their ballots rejected due to late postmarks, a surge that election officials and some lawmakers attribute to recent changes within the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). These rejections, particularly during recent primaries, highlight growing concerns about the integrity and accessibility of mail-in voting ahead of the pivotal midterm elections.
In Oregon, Secretary of State Tobias Read reported that approximately 7,314 ballots arrived after Election Day during the state's May primary, resulting in a rejection rate of 13%. This is an increase from 9.5% two years prior. Read stated that the situation is unacceptable, with more Oregonians having their votes go uncounted due to mail delays.
Washington experienced a similar trend. The state saw 20,267 ballots rejected for late postmarks in its most recent primary, an increase from 16,131 in 2024. This follows an initial jump in rejected ballots last year after USPS operational changes began to take effect. In response, Washington officials have urged earlier ballot submission and increased the number of ballot drop boxes.
These operational changes within the USPS involve consolidating services into regional hubs to achieve cost savings. Officials have warned for months that these consolidations could lead to delays in postmarking, even for ballots mailed on or before Election Day. A USPS policy finalized in December clarifies that postmarks may not reflect the date mail is first handled but rather when it passes through a processing center, which are often farther from some communities due to consolidations.
In some rural Washington counties, the impact has been particularly pronounced. Stevens County, in the northeastern part of the state, saw the rate of mailed ballot rejections for late postmarks quadruple. County Auditor Lori Larsen noted that her office received 547 such ballots three days after the primary, suggesting voters believed they had mailed their ballots on time. The county plans to double its secure ballot drop boxes from five to ten.
Yakima County, a conservative area in Washington, experienced a rejection rate of nearly 4.4% in its primary. County Auditor Charles Ross explained that local mail is now routed to a processing center in Spokane, approximately 200 miles away, before returning to Yakima. He expressed concern that these postal changes disproportionately affect rural residents, making it less likely for their votes to be counted compared to urban counterparts.
The USPS acknowledged that mail transport changes could cause postmarking delays. The agency advises voters who wish to ensure timely postmarking to request a manual stamp at a post office, free of charge. They also recommend mailing ballots at least one week before the due date to ensure they arrive on time.
These issues in Washington and Oregon mirror challenges faced elsewhere. In California's June primary, around 93,500 voters had their ballots rejected for being postmarked or arriving too late to be counted.