Yes, USPS will deliver mail-in ballots with insufficient postage

Midterm election season is formally underway throughout the nation. This yr, hundreds of thousands of individuals will mail of their ballots on or earlier than Nov. 8. For many citizens, this implies determining simply how a lot postage they should use earlier than they drop their poll within the mail. 

VERIFY viewer Anne emailed our workforce asking if mail-in ballots require two stamps. She additionally desires to know if her vote will be counted if insufficient postage is positioned on the poll envelope.

This reporting is a part of a sequence of tales forward of the midterm elections. If you’ve gotten any questions concerning the elections, e-mail us at [email protected] or message us on social media @verifythis.  

Will the postal service deliver mail-in ballots with insufficient postage?

Yes, the postal service will deliver mail-in ballots with insufficient postage.

The postal service will deliver a mail-in poll even when it has insufficient or unpaid postage. This is because of a USPS coverage that requires the postal service to not delay the supply of accomplished absentee balloting supplies, together with mail-in ballots, in keeping with Martha Johnson, a USPS spokesperson, and the National Conference on State Legislatures (NCSL). 

“We are proactively working with state and local election officials on mailing requirements, including postage payment,” Johnson advised VERIFY. “In cases where a ballot enters the mailstream without the proper amount of postage, the Postal Service will deliver the ballot and thereafter attempt to collect postage from the appropriate Board of Elections.” 

More from VERIFY: No, absentee ballots aren’t solely counted in shut races

So, it’s true that the postal service will deliver mail-in ballots in the event that they don’t have sufficient postage — however election officers, and your tax {dollars}, could find yourself footing the invoice for the lacking stamps. 

No postage is required to mail a poll in 19 states and Washington, D.C, in keeping with NCSL. But, in case you dwell elsewhere, it’s possible you’ll be accountable for postage. 

That’s as a result of every state, or native Board of Elections, determines whether or not to offer voters with a pre-paid return envelope for mail-in ballots, in keeping with Johnson. They might also request that voters apply their very own acceptable postage. 

More from VERIFY: No, Election Day isn’t a federal vacation

Many mail ballots want only a single first-class stamp. However, you’ll doubtless want a second stamp in case your poll is cumbersome and weighs greater than an oz.. USPS requires election officers to tell voters of the quantity of postage required, if relevant, Johnson says.

If you propose to mail your poll, state and native election authorities in your space can present information about processes, guidelines, deadlines, and insurance policies particular to the place you reside. For native voting and registration questions, click here to search out your native election workplace’s contact information. For statewide voting steering, go to USA.gov with the intention to simply entry your state’s official election workplace web site. 

More from VERIFY: Yes, it’s authorized for federal candidates to pay for endorsements