Front Cover 2 postal bulletin 22539 (2-13-20) Contents COVER STORY Pictorial Postmarks Announcement . 51 Your 2020 Election and Political Mail Guide . 3 How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Digital Color or Traditional Postmarks . 53 POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND FORMS Supply Management UPDATES Capital Property is Now Managed in Solution for Manuals Enterprise Asset Management . 57 DMM Revision: Detached Address Labels and Detached eBuy2 is Transitioning to eBuy+ . 59 Marketing Labels Clarification. 14 Publications Publication 431 Revision: Changes to Post Office Box PULL-OUT INFORMATION Service and Caller Service Fee Groups . 42 Fraud Invalid USPS Corporate Account Numbers. 21 Missing, Lost, or Stolen U.S. Money Order Forms . 23 ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Missing, Lost, or Stolen Canadian Money Order Forms . 30 Address Management Verifying U.S. Postal Service Money Orders . 32 Post Office Changes . 43 Counterfeit Canadian Money Order Forms . 32 Domestic Mail Toll-Free Number Available to Verify Canadian Labeling List Changes . 43 Money Orders . 32 Environmental Management Other Information Environmental Compliance Reminder: Storing De-icing Overseas Military/Diplomatic Mail . 34 Materials . 45 Freely Associated States Restrictions . 40 Government Relations Reminder: Franked (Congressional) Mail, Postage POSTAL BULLETIN 2019 SEMI-ANNUAL INDEX Payment, and Mail Handling Guidelines . 46 2019 Semi-Annual Index . PB 22538 (1-30-20) Information Security Tax Scams: File Before Cyber Criminals Do . 47 Military Mail Find the latest in mail and delivery information Resumption of Mail Service for Middle East Region . 47 and services offered by U.S. Postal® Safety and Health in the Postal Bulletin at Statutory Requirement to Review and Post OSHA about.usps.com/postal-bulletin Form 300A Summary for Calendar Year 2019 . 48 Winter Driving Tips. 49 Stamp Services Stamp Announcement 20-10: Maine Statehood Stamp . 50 Inspection Service Stamp Stock Return Process . 51 Cover Story postal bulletin 22539 (2-13-20) 3 Cover Story Your 2020 Election and Political Mail Guide Contents Background . 4 Service Type Identifiers and How They Improve Key Dates . 4 Mailpiece Visibility . 7 Key Elections . 4 Election and Political Mail Map . 7 Election Mail and Political Mail Overview . 4 Tag 191 . 8 Election Mail . 5 Business Reply Mail and Qualified Business Reply Absentee Ballots . 5 Mail . 8 Absentee and Early Voting . 5 Informed Delivery . 8 Vote-By-Mail . 6 Election 2020 — State-By-State . 9 Military — APO/FPO/DPO . 6 Political Mail . 10 Military — APO/FPO/DPO Absentee Ballots . 6 Tag 57 . 10 Military — APO/FPO/DPO Returning Absentee FAQs . 11 Ballots . 6 Contacts and Resources . 12 4 postal bulletin 22539 (2-13-20) Cover Story Background Election Mail and Political Mail Overview The 2020 primary season is here and the Postal Ser- What is Election Mail? vice™ is preparing for the November 2020 general election. Election Mail is any item mailed to or from authorized In addition to the Presidential election, there will be numer- election officials that enables citizens to participate in the ous congressional, gubernatorial, state, and local races. voting process, such as balloting materials, voter registra- Thus, proper handling of Election Mail and Political Mail is tion cards, absentee applications, and polling place notifi- critical. cations. Concerns have been raised about how long it takes for What is Political Mail? Election Mail and Political Mail to reach voters. The Postal Political Mail includes Political Campaign Mail and Polit- Service takes these concerns very seriously. Coast to ical Message Mail. coast, plans are in place to ensure the timely receipt, pro- cessing, and delivery of Election Mail and Political Mail. Political Campaign Mail is any material mailed at First-Class Mail® or USPS Marketing Mail® prices for Generally, citizens use one of the following methods to political campaign purposes by a registered political cast their votes: candidate, a campaign committee (federal, state, or In person at a traditional polling place via electronic local), or a committee of a political party (e.g., Dem- or paper ballot on or before Election Day, or ocratic National Committee or Republican Congres- Through the mail via an absentee paper ballot sional Campaign Committee) to promote political Although traditional poll voting is still the preferred candidates, referendums, or political campaigns. method, voting by mail is increasing in popularity across Political Message Mail is any material mailed at First- broad segments of the American electorate. In the 2018 Class Mail or USPS Marketing Mail prices by a polit- midterm election, 25 percent of voters cast ballots by mail. ical action committee (PAC), super-PAC, or other organization engaging in campaign activity, issue Key Dates advocacy, or voter mobilization. The primary and caucus season began February 3 in Political Mail may be sent for any public election — parti- Iowa and will continue through June. san or nonpartisan — for which there is a ballot. Political Mail Congressional run-off elections are scheduled from is identified using red Tag 57, Political Campaign Mailing. March 31 through August 25. Election and Political Mail Project Plan The general election will be held on November 3. The Postal Service 2020 Election and Political Mail Key Elections Project Plan coordinates strategy with key organizational priorities. The plan objectives are to: General Election – November 3 Educate and inform the public on proper mail han- A total of 470 seats in the U.S. Congress are up for dling, key dates, and operational guidelines for Elec- election: tion Mail and Political Mail. 35 Senate seats — AK, AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, GA Reinforce the message that the Postal Service takes (2), IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MS, its job of delivering ballots and other Election Mail MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, and Political Mail very seriously. TN, TX, VA, WV, and WY. Ensure the correct use of Tag 57, Political Campaign All 435 House seats and 6 non-voting seats repre- Mailing. Political Message Mail (mailings from certain senting American territories and the District of groups about issue advocacy or voter mobilization) Columbia. and Political Campaign Mail (mailings from certain Due to retirements and deaths in Congress, certain groups or individuals related to a candidate, cam- special elections will be held in AZ, CA, GA, MD, NY, paign, or referendum) both require the use of Tag 57. and WI throughout the year. Ensure the correct use of Tag 191, Domestic and 11 Gubernatorial seats — DE, IN, MO, MT, NC, ND, International Ballots. Postal Service employees must NH, UT, VT, WA, and WV. correctly identify and process this mail according to Numerous state and local elections. See the chart on the appropriate level of service. Tag 191 may not be page 9 for details. used for sample ballots. Ensure the correct use of the Official Election Mail logo. It may be used on all Election Mail, including ballots. Cover Story postal bulletin 22539 (2-13-20) 5 Inform election officials that ballots will be handled 1 week before the due date to account for any unforeseen according to USPS® service standards. Educate the events or weather issues. officials on service standards so they can ensure bal- Key Election Official Message — Ballots lots are mailed and returned by the deadline. Whether using First-Class Mail or USPS Marketing Mail Ensure Postal Service employees know that they service, customers are encouraged to work closely with must always promptly and efficiently handle Election local Postal Service election mail coordinators to determine Mail or Political Mail with equal care and attention. delivery times for the mailings. For coordinator contact Key Messages information, visit about.usps.com/gov-services/election- Mail is an increasingly important part of U.S. elections. mail/political-mail-map.htm. Throughout the 2020 election cycle, it’s important to keep Election Mail the following in mind: ® U.S. Mail services are a vital part of the U.S. elec- Absentee Ballots tion process. The Postal Service will ensure the An absentee ballot is the printed ballot marked by an dependable and timely delivery of Election Mail and absent voter, sealed in a special envelope, and returned to Political Mail. election officials, usually in person or through the mail. The Postal Service takes pride in the popularity of Each election cycle presents a different set of parame- U.S. Mail as an efficient and effective means for citi- ters for ballot creation and for the size and weight of the zens to participate in the voting process. return mailpiece. As a result, many voters do not know the Customers can trust the Postal Service to deliver correct amount of postage required to return their ballots their mailed ballots in a timely manner. by mail. Election officials must consult with a Postal Ser- vice Business Mail Entry manager, mailpiece design ana- The Postal Service offers a state-by-state outreach lyst, or election/political mail coordinator to determine the program to ensure election boards, political candi- proper postage required for mailing ballots to voters and dates, and mailers are aware of the appropriate pro- for voters mailing ballots back to election officials. cedures and important deadlines to help ensure the proper processing and delivery of Election Mail and Election officials are required to indicate in a prominent Political Mail. location the proper amount of First-Class Mail postage that must be applied to balloting materials for any election, The Postal Service expects to handle millions of bal- lots this election cycle — proof that mail is a depend- whether sent in hard copy or electronic formats. An excep- able and protected way to cast a vote. tion may apply in certain circumstances for balloting mate- rials for military and overseas voters or where postage is Voter communication ensures that ballots have suffi- prepaid.