MyNorthwest: Washington’s top election officials are urging residents to return their ballots early and to use drop boxes instead of mail-in voting, as new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) standards could delay postmarks and deliveries.

King County Elections spokesperson Haley Watkins said some counties started noticing — for the first time — problems during the August primary, when ballots weren’t always marked the same day carriers picked them up. The new USPS rules clarify that postmarks may no longer reflect the day mail was first collected.

“I know several other counties did see a big, big jump in how many ballots were returned too late because they didn’t get that postmark,” Watkins said. “You are not guaranteed a postmark on the same day that you drop your ballot in the mail.”

In a statement sent to KIRO Newsradio, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said voters should “consider using a drop box, going to a voting center, or physically visiting a post office within seven days of the Nov. 4 general election,” adding that his office can’t guarantee ballots mailed later will be postmarked in time.

The Postal Service has issued similar guidance, recommending voters mail ballots by October 29 to ensure on-time delivery. The agency has also stopped counting Saturdays as transit days, reduced afternoon pickups, and slowed some first-class mail delivery standards. Most of those issues, they say, could impact more rural areas.

Read more: Election officials urge ballot boxes over mail-in voting