WASHINGTON (WOWO) — The U.S. Postal Service says it is prepared to handle election mail securely and on time ahead of the 2026 general election, urging voters to send completed ballots well before their election office’s deadline.

The Postal Service recommends that domestic, nonmilitary voters mail completed ballots before Election Day and at least one week before the ballots must be received by election officials.

USPS reported that 97.98% of ballot mail was delivered on time under its service standards through Oct. 9.

The agency plans to begin additional election mail procedures Oct. 24. Those measures include extra deliveries and collections, special pickups, adjusted sorting plans and localized handling and transportation to help move ballots quickly through the postal network.

Postal Service officials say the procedures are consistent with those used during previous elections. The agency also reported that 99.6% of ballots mailed by voters during the 2024 general election were delivered to election officials within three days.

USPS says its postmarking practices have not changed. However, some mail may not reach a processing facility on the same day it is collected, meaning the postmark date may differ from the date a voter mailed the ballot.

Voters who want a postmark dated to match the day they submit their ballot can take the completed ballot to a post office retail counter and request a manual postmark at no charge.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will also monitor election mail operations and coordinate with federal, state and local agencies to help protect ballots and election offices.

The Postal Service says it is not implementing the Ballot Mail for Federal Elections rule for the 2026 general election.