Election Mail Tips, Tools, and Tactics for Successful Mailing www.usps.com/electionmail Agenda • Mail Security • Using Tag 191 and Official Election Mail Logo • Military & Overseas Absentee Ballots • Special Procedures – APO/FPO • 8 Steps for Mailing Success • Address Hygiene • Intelligent Mail Barcode and OneCode ConfirmTM • New Move Update requirements effective Nov 23, 2008 • Election Officials’ Mailing Resources www.usps.com/electionmail Mail Security • USPS rated #1 agency Americans trust to protect their privacy • U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Federal law enforcement agency – Protect, secure & trust • Office of Inspector General – Protect and maintain the integrity of postal processes and personnel www.usps.com/electionmail Official Election Mail Any mailpiece created by an authorized voting registration official that is mailed to or from a citizen of the United States for the purpose of participating in the voting process. – Official Election Mail Includes – Mail-in ballots – Absentee ballots – Ballot materials – Voter registration cards – Absentee applications – Polling place notifications www.usps.com/electionmail Tag 191 for Ballots • Domestic and International Ballots only • Greater visibility during USPS handling and distribution • Available at local Post Office or Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) www.usps.com/electionmail Election Mail Logo www.usps.com/electionmail Military & Overseas Absentee Ballots • Balloting materials for federal elections may be sent without prepayment of postage to: – Member Armed Forces in active service – Member U.S. Merchant Marine – Expatriates – Spouses and dependents of above • Mailed at Post Offices, overseas a Military Post Office, an American Embassy or an American Consulate • President, Vice President, Senate, Congress; and other general, primary, and special elections www.usps.com/electionmail Military & Overseas Absentee Ballots Must bear these markings: www.usps.com/electionmail Sept 15th - Nov 3rd APO/FPO Special Procedures Election Offices: • Separate ballots to International Service Centers (ISC) – New York – Miami – San Francisco • Affix ISC facing slip to each bundle • Identify trays or containers using Tag 191 • Mail ballots 45 days before election www.usps.com/electionmail Templates APO/FPO AE 090 APO/FPO AA 340 Absentee Ballots 090-099 Absentee Ballots 340 APO/FPO AP 962 APO/FPO MIXED Absentee Ballots 962-966 Absentee Ballots www.usps.com/electionmail Sept 15th - Nov 3rd APO/FPO Special Procedures Postal Service: • Special handling for all Military Absentee Ballots • Post Offices send ballots to nearest Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC) • P&DC expedite ballots via Express Mail® to ISCs • ISCs provide accelerated sortation, special tray identification and priority transportation www.usps.com/electionmail APO/FPO Special Procedures • The Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA) will sanitize APO/ FPO addresses prior to the Nov election • MPSA will provide feedback on incorrect addresses • For further details, contact the MPSA at [email protected] & provide your contact information www.usps.com/electionmail Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped May be entered free of postage: Mailed by or for the use of blind or persons who cannot read or use conventionally printed materials • May be opened for postal inspection • Treated as First-Class Mail Hare County Election Office Free Matter for • Domestic only 133 Industry LN the Blind or Forest Hill MD 21050-2124 Handicapped • No advertising • DMM 703.5 John Q. Public 133 Main ST Forrest Hill, MD 21050-1801 www.usps.com/electionmail Domestic Absentee Ballots • Excluding ballot material sent to the blind or handicapped, active military & US citizens overseas, all other ballot material must have the correct postage affixed First-Class Mail Havard County Election Office US Postage Paid 133 Industry Ln Forest Hill, MD Forest Hill MD 21050-2124 Permit 1234 John Q. Public 133 Main St Forest Hill, MD 21050-1801 www.usps.com/electionmail 8 STEPS for Mailing Success www.usps.com/electionmail Step 1: USPS Contact Mailpiece Design Analysts (MDA) are trained to: • Answer questions regarding mailpiece design • Provide discussions with and notifications to printers, graphic designers and envelope manufacturers • Offer guidance regarding automation rates • Review mailpieces for adherence to USPS standards • Test paper and mail samples for thickness, color, flexibility, and barcode tolerances • Analyze readability of actual mailpieces www.usps.com/electionmail Step 2: Class of Mail First-Class Mail: DMM 333.2.0 • Personal, handwritten, or typed information • 1-3 day delivery • Free forwarding and return • Sealed against inspection Standard Mail: DMM 243.2.0 • No personal, handwritten, or typed information • 2 -9 day delivery • Forwarding/return require endorsement and a fee • May be opened for postal inspection www.usps.com/electionmail First-Class Mail Shape Based Prices 2-ounce letter 2-ounce flat 2-ounce parcel .59¢ $1.00 $1.34 www.usps.com/electionmail Standard Mail Shape Based Prices Automated Automated 2-ounce letter 2-ounce flat 5-Digit DSCF DSCF .183 .297 www.usps.com/electionmail Step 3: Applying for Permits • Mailing Permit First-Class Mail Auto US Postage Paid Washington, DC • Business Reply Mail Permit 423 • Nonprofit NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 000 WASHINGTON DC POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE JAMES STACK RUSS GALLERY LTD 476 BROADWAY NEW YORK NY 10013-9991 www.usps.com/electionmail Step 4: Envelope Design Work with Mailpiece Design Analyst (MDA) • Verify ZIP+4 & Barcode • Logo placement • Endorsements • Size, shape, weight • Barcode clearances • Review samples before printing www.usps.com/electionmail Reply Mail NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED • Business Reply Mail IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 000 WASHINGTON DC – Permit required POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE ElectionsJAMES STACK Officer RUSS GALLERY LTD Street476 BROADWAY Address – Only pay for returned AnyNEW town YORK StateNY 10013-9991 ZIP Code pieces • Courtesy Reply – No permit required Elections Officer – Voter pays postage Street Address Any town State ZIP Code • Meter Reply Mail • Permit Reply Mail www.usps.com/electionmail www.usps.com/electionmail Step 5: Printing Before artwork is sent to printer: • Finalize design with MDA – Logo – Barcode – FIM – Return address – Legend if needed • Submit pre-production proof www.usps.com/electionmail Step 6: Mailing • Contact Post Office or Business Mail Entry Unit • Obtain equipment – Tag 191 – Letter trays, flat tubs, sleeves • Obtain facing templates for military ballots • Discuss drop off times and procedures • Obtain names and numbers www.usps.com/electionmail Step 7: Receiving Ballots • Contact local Post Office • Consider renting a Post Office Box • Discuss pick-up times and location www.usps.com/electionmail Step 8:Payment Methods • Centralized Account Processing System (CAPS) – Electronic postage payment system – Centralized, convenient, cost effective – www.usps.com (search caps) • Postage Meter • Permit Imprint • Stamps www.usps.com/electionmail Address Hygiene - Does It Matter? Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. POSTAGE • What PAID Memphis, TN 6060 PRIMACY PKWY STE 201 38188 MEMPHIS TN 38188-3333 Permit No. 1 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED • Why IRENE PAYNE 6449 AMBERVIEW CV MEMPHIS TN 38141-8346 www.usps.com/electionmail Move Update • Undeliverable as Addressed (UAA) – 9.9 Billion pieces – $1.9 Billion – More than half Standard Mail • November 23, 2008 – 185 days to 95 – First-Class Mail and Standard Mail www.usps.com/electionmail Addressing Products • Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) with – Delivery Point Validation (DPV) – Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS) • Address Element Correction (AEC) I & II • National Change of Address Link (NCOALINK™) • Address Change Service (ACS) / OneCode ACS www.usps.com/electionmail Intelligent Mail® Barcode (IMB) • Sortation, address correction and tracking for letters/flats • Best automation prices May 2009 – Full Service – Basic • Benefits – Piece-level visibility – Electronic address change notices (ACS) • Required on all automation- compatible letter/flat mail May 2011 www.usps.com/electionmail OneCode Confirm™ • Enables electronic mail tracking • Outbound mail to voters – Know when the ballot is available for delivery • Inbound mail from voters – Advance notice that a ballot is on the way • Uses Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) – Available for OneCode Confirm™ and OneCodeACS – Ability to track different mailing levels – Entire mailing can be analyzed www.usps.com/electionmail Election Officials’ Mailing Resources www.usps.com/electionmail • Planning • Addressing • Designing • MDA Look Up • Pubs 631 & 632 • Official Election Mail Logo www.usps.com/electionmail Thank you! Questions? www.usps.com/electionmail.