USPS gives critical warning about mail-in ballots as Election Day looms next week

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is warning Americans looking to vote by mail to post their ballots today to ensure they are counted.

"If you choose to vote by mail, please mail early as every day counts," the USPS statement said.

"We continue to recommend that it is a good common-sense measure for voters who choose to mail in their ballots to do so before Election Day and at least a week before their election office needs to receive them. If a ballot is due on Election Day, the Postal Service recommends mailing the ballot by this Tuesday (October 29)."

However, 18 states and Washington, D.C., have varying grace periods to account for postal delays. 

Alaska gives voters a 10-day window for their ballots to arrive if postmarked by Election Day, while Texas gives an extra day.

Among those 18 is the battleground state of Nevada, where ballots received up to four days after Election Day but postmarked by Nov. 5 are still counted. Ballots with unclear postmarks that arrive up to the third day after Election Day are also counted.

"In addition to the processes and procedures specific to Election Mail that the Postal Service deploys all year long, as in previous general elections, the Postal Service is deploying extraordinary measures in the final weeks of the election season to swiftly move Ballot Mail entered close to or on Election Day and/or the state's return deadline," USPS said.

The postal agency said those measures began last week and include additional delivery and pick-ups scheduled, "specialized sort plans" to expedite the movement of ballots, and "local handling and transportation of ballots."