美国邮政系统近期运营政策调整导致华盛顿州和俄勒冈州因邮戳过晚而被拒的邮寄投票选票数量急剧增加。1俄勒冈州5月初选期间有7314张选票因晚期邮戳被拒，拒票率达13%，高于两年前的9.5%；1华盛顿州2024年初选中有20267张选票因同样原因被拒。1加州6月初选也受到影响，约93500张选票因邮戳过晚或到达过晚被拒。1
邮政部门的政策变化包括在距邮件分发中心50英里以上地区每日仅运输一次邮件而非两次，以及邮戳反映邮件在处理中心被处理的日期而非收件日期。1这些调整使农村地区的投票者面临更高的选票被拒风险。1华盛顿州东北角的史蒂文斯县在初选后三天内就收到547张晚期邮戳选票，该县被拒邮件投票率翻了四倍。1
俄勒冈州州务卿托比亚斯·里德表示，"更多俄勒冈人仅因选票无法及时通过邮件而失声，这是不可接受的"。1华盛顿州民主党参议员玛丽亚·坎特韦尔指出，"邮政部门正在用那些使邮件被投入但从未被计票的政策为全美选民造成不利"。1为应对这一问题，俄勒冈州已请求立法者提供紧急资金安装20个新的选票投放箱，1华盛顿州今年已花费约30万美元来补偿县增加21个投放箱。1
Recent operational changes by the U.S. Postal Service have led to a dramatic increase in rejected mail-in ballots across Washington and Oregon, with thousands of votes discarded due to late postmarks.1 In Oregon's May primary election, 7,314 ballots were rejected for late postmarks, representing a rejection rate of 13 percent, up from 9.5 percent two years prior.1 Washington state experienced an even larger impact, with 20,267 ballots rejected for the same reason during its 2024 primary election, exceeding the 16,131 rejections from the previous cycle.1 California's June primary also saw approximately 93,500 ballots rejected for late or delayed postmarks.1
The surge stems from Postal Service policy shifts including the consolidation of mail transportation routes, the reconfiguration of processing centers, and a reduction to single-daily mail delivery for locations beyond 50 miles from distribution facilities.1 Under current policy, postmarks reflect the date mail is processed at a sorting facility rather than the date it is received, creating additional complications for voters in rural areas.1 Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read stated that "more Oregonians are losing their voice simply because their ballots cannot reach mailboxes in time to be counted, and this is unacceptable."1 U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington added that the Postal Service is "disadvantaging voters nationwide with policies that put mail in the system but never get it counted."1
In response, affected states have taken measures to mitigate the problem. Oregon has requested emergency funding from legislators to install 20 new ballot drop boxes, while Washington has already spent approximately $300,000 this year to help counties add 21 additional boxes.1 Stevens County in northeastern Washington received 547 ballots with late postmarks within three days following the primary election, with rejected mail-in ballot rates quadrupling compared to previous election cycles.1
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