Estimate: Postal Changes Could Reject 43,000 to 55,000 Ballots

Brookings Institution senior fellow Elena Patel estimated USPS Regional Transportation Optimization, a plan slowing mail, could cause 43,000 to 55,000 more ballots to arrive late and be rejected in the general election, NPR reported Oct. 9. The plan was not in place for 2026 primaries, which saw more rejections, including jumps in late postmarks in Washington and Oregon.