Press Release: Board of Elections Urges Voters to Mail Completed Ballots Early Following USPS Postmark Changes

Last Updated: 6/13/2026

The Tioga County Board of Elections is encouraging voters to return early mail and absentee ballots for the June 2026 Primary Election as soon as possible following recent changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) postmark procedures that may affect how mail is dated and processed.

Under updated USPS guidance this year, a postmark reflects the date a mail piece is processed at a postal facility rather than the date it was deposited in the mail. As a result, mail placed in a mailbox on a particular day may not receive a postmark until a later date. To ensure ballots are counted, voters are strongly encouraged to mail their ballots well before the deadline, or return ballots directly to a poll site or the County Board of Elections at 1062 State Route 38 in Owego.

New York State election law permits ballots to be postmarked up through election day. Voters who choose to mail a ballot close to this deadline may request a manual or hand-stamped postmark at a USPS retail counter. These are available at no charge upon request. Properly postmarked ballots must be received by the voter’s county board of elections within seven days of election day.

To be eligible to vote in this year’s primary, you must be enrolled in the Democratic Party and live in Tioga County, or be registered in the Republican Party and live in the Town of Spencer. Voters in Tioga County are encouraged to contact the Tioga County Board of Elections at 607-687-8261 or VoteTioga@TiogaCountyNY.gov for information about the upcoming election and voting options.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

The 2026 Primary Election is June 23, 2026.
For new voters, the deadline to register to vote before this election is June 13, 2026.
For voters wishing to receive a ballot by mail, the deadline to make this request is June 13, 2026.
Early in-person voting occurs from June 13, 2026, through June 21, 2026.