Your ballot or other mail may not get postmarked by USPS the day it's dropped off

[PATRICK]

31. You suggest something intrinsically illegal

IF the clerk was using a post-dated handstamp that is intrinsically illegal. Maybe the Postal Inspectors have a rationalization for that but it might be worthwhile checking. However, with such lax standards they have been removed from a lot of enforcement of codes- even egregious violations. In the plants the cancellation/coding machines are turned off on a fairly tight schedule. Even mail designated as "late" deliveries that COULD have been cancelled are held back. Outside of tracking and Express Mail(also with a time shut off dating!) you only have risky proof of actual mailing date.

I was surprised how relatively quickly people have stopped using the mail for scheduled bills. Volume is way down. Way to go for promoting the service, USPS! There are so many delayed bills when they DON'T make it neatly through automation that you also had better take care of the address and envelope integrity. Sorting by hand is under a tight timeline that doesn't respect enough the commitment. On heavy days, often on the weekend when there is no out of state delivery on Sundays- let the sender beware.