PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – New changes at the United States Postal Service could affect how vote-by-mail ballots are counted in upcoming elections, prompting local election officials to urge voters not to wait until the last minute.
According to 25 News, starting in 2026, mail must reach a USPS processing center before it receives a postmark.
The change is significant for vote-by-mail ballots because Illinois law requires ballots to be postmarked by election day and received within two weeks to be counted.
Elizabeth Gannon, executive director of the Peoria County Election Commission, said voters who wait until election day to mail ballots need to take extra steps to ensure their votes count.
“If you do want to wait until election day, you need to do 2 things. One, you need to use a ballot drop box instead of a mail drop box,” Gannon said. “My second recommendation is to go into the postal office and have the clerk working put that postmark on your ballot, if that’s how you choose to return it.”
Voters can track their ballots through BallotTrax, a free service that sends updates by text, email or phone.
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