Under new USPS guidance that took effect late last month, the date printed on a postmark no longer reflects when a letter or ballot is dropped into a mailbox. Instead, the postmark now reflects the date the mail is first processed at an automated sorting facility, which can occur days after the item is mailed. The Postal Service says the change is intended to clarify how postmarks are applied, particularly as transportation schedules and regional processing systems evolve.

For voters in states that rely on postmark deadlines and for patients navigating health bureaucracy, this change could mean missing critical deadlines, potentially affecting votes and life-altering health care paperwork.

“In recognition of the importance that the election laws in some states place on postmarks, it has been the longstanding policy of the Postal Service to try to ensure that every return ballot mailed by voters receives a postmark, whether the return ballot is mailed with postage pre-paid by election officials or with a stamp affixed by the voter,” officials wrote in a release. “A voter can ensure that a postmark is applied to his or her return ballot by visiting a Postal Service retail office and requesting a postmark from a retail associate when dropping off the ballot.”

The issue gained wider attention after @cjnlegalnurse, a health care advocate, shared a detailed explanation on social media. The advocate outlined how the rule shift shifts risk away from institutions and onto individuals, prompting concern among millions of viewers.

The user explained that the new USPS rule makes the postmark date the day mail is first processed at a sorting facility, rather than when it’s dropped off, potentially causing delays for time-sensitive items.

A letter placed in a mailbox may be officially postmarked days after mailing, resulting in possible rejection of ballots or legal filings due to apparent lateness.

“Many states say a mail-in ballot counts if it’s postmarked by election day,” the user said. “Under this rule, you can mail your ballot before election day and still have it postmarked after. So that’s not voter fraud, that’s logistics quietly overruling intent.”

USPS guidance now confirms that critical postmarks are mostly applied at large plants, not at local post offices, and that updated schedules are causing mail to wait for days. For any deadline-sensitive documents, USPS urges direct action: bring your items inside, demand a manual postmark, and take nothing for granted.

These postal changes have raised alarm not only among voters but also among health care advocates, who warn that the implications extend far beyond elections.

“Health care runs on mail deadlines, appeals, prior authorizations, Medicare notices, and prescription paperwork,” the user said. “If an appeal has to be postmarked by a certain date and USPS processes days later, it looks late. So late appeals get denied. Denied appeals delay care.”

The user warns that this postal shift now places the burden and risks of missed deadlines squarely on individuals already navigating stressful, complex systems.

“In nursing and health care advocacy, timing can mean life or death,” the user said. “This rule shift pushes the risk of disaster onto patients. The system hasn’t improved—only the hazard to individuals has increased.”

If you are mailing anything time-sensitive now—such as ballots or health care documents—do not just drop it in a mailbox. To ensure your mailing is postmarked by your intended date, go inside the post office. Ask a clerk for a manual postmark or a receipt. For appeals and legal documents, use certified mail. Avoid relying on blue mailboxes if you’re close to a deadline. Following these specific steps will help you meet important deadlines under the new USPS rule.