Three short paragraphs to open the story: new data show a spike in mail ballots tossed for late postmarks in Washington and Oregon — and it’s blowing up online because the change affects reliably vote-by-mail states right as the 2026 midterms ramp up. Election officials blame recent Postal Service changes that delay when a ballot is postmarked; voters and lawmakers are scrambling for fixes and answers. The numbers came out this week with state statements and press coverage, and people are searching: “Was my ballot rejected?” “How do I cure a rejected ballot?” and “Will mail voting be safe in November?”
Bottom line up front: Thousands more ballots arrived during each state’s post-election grace period with postmarks stamped after Election Day and were rejected — a clear, documented jump vs. prior primaries. Officials in Oregon and Washington are urging voters to use official drop boxes, track ballots online, and, where possible, cure signature problems quickly. The legal fight over federal rules that would change mail voting deadlines is also still playing in the background. (apnews.com)
Why this is trending now
The story broke because both states released fresh data and statements in early September showing that ballots rejected for late postmarks surged in the May 2026 primaries — and national coverage picked those figures up this week. Oregon reported 7,314 ballots arriving during its seven‑day grace period that were rejected for having postmarks after Election Day (a 35% increase from 2022), and Washington’s election report shows late receipts/postmarks made up the bulk of rejections in recent primaries. Officials announced emergency steps and public warnings, which drove the headlines. (apps.oregon.gov)
Why now matters: we’re only weeks away from the 2026 midterms and both states run almost entirely by mail. Any trend that could disenfranchise voters or shift logistics for tens of thousands of ballots draws immediate attention — especially after Postal Service operational changes and ongoing litigation over federal ballot rules. (abcnews.com)
What the new data actually show (the verified facts)
- Oregon: In the May 2026 primary, 7,314 ballots that arrived during the state’s 7‑day grace period were rejected for late postmarks — a 35% increase over the 2022 comparable primary. Officials converted those counts into rates and warned voters to use drop boxes or mail much earlier. (apps.oregon.gov)
- Washington: The state’s 2025/2026 election statistics show that late receipt or postmark is the most common rejection reason in recent primaries, accounting for the majority of thousands of rejected ballots (e.g., 19,368 of 24,437 rejections in the 2025 primary were for late receipt). Signature problems are a smaller but still meaningful share. (sos.wa.gov)
- National coverage ties both spikes to changes in USPS processing and postmarking, and quotes local county auditors who saw unusually large deliveries of late‑postmarked ballots after primaries. (abcnews.com)
These are confirmed counts from state election offices and major wire reporting — not rumors. That’s why the conversation shifted from “is this happening?” to “how do voters avoid it?”
Why officials say this is happening (short technical context)
- USPS processing changes: The Postal Service has consolidated some processing to regional hubs and adjusted handling and transport schedules. That can push the moment a piece of mail is scanned or postmarked later — sometimes after Election Day even when a voter put the ballot in a collection box on time. Postal officials have acknowledged operational shifts can delay postmarks. (abcnews.com)
- Postmark vs. arrival rules: Oregon and Washington accept ballots that are postmarked by Election Day even if they arrive later — but if the postmark is dated after Election Day, the ballot can be rejected. That makes postmark timing a pivotal fact for mailed ballots. (apps.oregon.gov)
- Signature issues still matter: Even absent postmark problems, ballots continue to be rejected for missing or mismatched signatures. Both states have procedures to try to contact voters and allow cures in many cases, but cure windows and rules differ. (sos.oregon.gov)
Timeline/quick context — how we got here
- 2024–2025: Postal operational changes and new USPS policy guidance that affect processing/postmarking began to be implemented and studied. Counties started noticing more late-postmarked returns. (abcnews.com)
- 2025 primary and general: Washington’s official reports showed a spike in rejections for late receipt/postmark; counties began urging earlier mailing and installing more drop boxes. (sos.wa.gov)
- May 2026 primary: Oregon’s data released this week showed a marked increase in late‑postmarked ballots and prompted an emergency push for drop boxes and funding for ballot tracking. Washington followed with similar local examples of counties seeing big batches of late‑postmarked ballots. (apps.oregon.gov)
- September 2026: The spike made national news and intersected with litigation over a federal executive order that sought to change receipt/postmark rules; a federal judge blocked most of that order for Washington and Oregon earlier in 2026 but the legal background remains relevant and under appeal in some places. (apnews.com)
What people are searching for — practical, verified next steps
If you live in Washington or Oregon and are worried about a rejected ballot, here’s what to do now:
-
Check your ballot status online right away.
- Washington: track at VoteWA (instructions and status codes on the Secretary of State site). VoteWA shows statuses like Sent, Received, Accepted, Unsigned, Signature Does Not Match, or Rejection/Challenge and tells you whether the county will contact you. (sos.wa.gov)
- Oregon: use My Vote / OregonVotes.gov to see whether your ballot was received and counted and to find county contact info. (sos.oregon.gov) -
If the ballot is flagged “Unsigned” or “Signature Does Not Match,” follow the cure instructions immediately.
- Oregon’s vote-by-mail rules allow counties to notify voters and give up to 21 days after the election to provide a signed envelope or other verification to cure signature problems. The manual spells out the steps counties must follow. (sos.oregon.gov)
- Washington’s administrative code requires counties to notify voters and provides a process to update signatures and cure some problems; the county auditor must make outreach attempts in many cases. Act fast and follow any contact you get from county elections. (app.leg.wa.gov) -
If you think your ballot was mailed on time but rejected for a late postmark: contact your county elections office immediately. Document when and where you dropped or mailed it (photo of a drop box, receipt if you got one at the post office) and ask whether there’s a cure or replacement option. Officials sometimes can provide guidance or accept attestations depending on the local rule set. (abcnews.com)
-
Use a secure drop box or hand-deliver the ballot if you can. State officials are explicitly urging more drop‑box use and have pushed for more boxes where mail service is slow. If you must mail, take the ballot into a post office counter and ask for a manual postmark to be stamped on it. USPS has said voters can request manual postmarking free of charge. (apps.oregon.gov)
-
If you miss a cure window and believe you were unfairly disenfranchised, document everything and contact your county elections office and state SOS — and consider reaching out to nonpartisan election protection hotlines or legal aid groups. The states and some federal courts have been actively involved in disputes over these rules. (apnews.com)
What election officials and courts are doing about it
- State action: Oregon’s Secretary of State publicly released turnout and rejection stats, requested emergency funding for more drop boxes and for a statewide ballot‑tracking tool, and urged voters to use drop boxes. Washington’s officials have been reimbursing counties for additional drop boxes and publishing rejection reason data to help transparency. (apps.oregon.gov)
- Legal backdrop: Oregon and Washington successfully challenged most of a federal executive order that would have forced ballots to be received by Election Day and changed other rules; that decision limits immediate federal changes but the postal operational changes themselves (and any future rulemaking) remain an issue for elections. Expect more court filings and legislative responses before November. (apnews.com)
Final takeaway for voters
This is not a phantom problem — state data confirms a real uptick in ballots rejected for late postmarks and officials have sounded the alarm. If you vote by mail in Washington or Oregon: track your ballot, use official drop boxes when possible, mail earlier than you think is necessary, and respond immediately if your county contacts you about a signature or other problem. Do those four things and you drastically cut the chance your ballot ends up rejected. (apps.oregon.gov)
Sources
https://apnews.com/article/postal-service-ballot-mail-rejections-postmark-midterms-fc0bdb3f6ad1bbcec921533ba9debc23
https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/SOS/Posts/Post/oregon-leaders-stand-united-protecting-Vote-By-Mail-elections
https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/ballots-discounted-late-postmarks-surged-washington-oregon-after-136287975
https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/2025%20Annual%20Elections%20Report_0.pdf
https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/documents/vbm_manual.pdf
https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=434-262-031
https://www.sos.wa.gov/ballot-status-codes
https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-ballot-citizenship-elections-574546e2940c82154f5a5bd050d6dccf
If you want, I can draft a short checklist you can print or share explaining exactly what to do if your ballot shows "rejected" in VoteWA or My Vote.
