USPS Postmark Change Could Affect Mailed Ballots in Illinois

CHICAGO —  The Cook County clerk is warning residents who plan to vote by mail in next month’s primary about a United States Postal Service policy change that could affect how mail ballots are counted.  Clerk Monica Gordon says at the start of this year, the postal service implemented a nationwide change on how it defines a postmark.  Under the new policy, a postmark no longer reflects the date a ballot is received by USPS, but rather the date the mail is processed.  In Illinois, vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 14 days to be counted.  Because of the change, voters who mail their ballot on or even several days before Election Day could still see their ballot postmarked too late.