Processing of Election and Political Mail for the 2026 Primary Elections

… <p>Our objective was to evaluate the Postal Service’s processing of Election and Political Mail for the 2026 primary elections. We conducted observations at nine processing facilities and 73 delivery units in eight states during primary elections from March to May 2026. In June 2026, we conducted further observations at five mail processing facilities in New Jersey and Tennessee, in response to a congressional inquiry.</p> <p><strong>What We Found</strong></p> <p>From February through May 2026, the Postal Service processed Election and Political Mail with on-time processing scores ranging from 97.75 to 98.99 percent. While most facilities we visited generally adhered to Postal Service’s election-related policies and procedures, there are opportunities to increase understanding and enforcement of postmarking ballots, completing required reports for late arriving Political Mail and the daily all-clear certifications, and posting election-related training materials for employees. Additionally, we found coordination with election officials and communication with customers affected by operational changes could be strengthened. Further, we identified opportunities at specific mail processing facilities that, if employed, could support the timely delivery of Ballot Mail.</p> …