Step 5. Review mailpiece design.

The Postal Service recommends that election officials always have all ballot envelope designs reviewed by a Mailpiece Design Analyst (MDA), each year prior to printing. This includes both new designs and designs that were previously used. Mailpiece review typically occurs within 48 hours of submission. Election officials have, in some instances, made design decisions without consulting an MDA, which can result in processing issues and delivery delays. Some uninformed decisions have resulted in envelopes that were not automation-compatible and thus did not produce the best results.

For assistance with mailpiece design, connect with an MDA between 7:00AM – 7:00PM Central Time by emailing MDA@usps.gov or calling 877-672-0007 (select option 2 for mailing and shipping, then option 2 for MDA). Also, mailpiece design information is available online at https://postalpro.usps.com/mailing/mailpiece-design-analyst-mda-customer-service-help-desk.

MDAs are trained to do the following:

• Provide pre-mailing piece design consultation.
• Provide technical assistance to printers, graphic designers, and envelope manufacturers.
• Review outgoing and reply mailpieces for adherence to Postal Service standards.
• Ensure that location of elections office/agency related text and graphics does not interfere with Postal Service regulations or processing.
• Perform tests and reviews of physical mailpiece samples for reflectance, thickness, size, shape, weight, color, flexibility, and Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) tolerances.
• Analyze readability of actual mailpieces.
• Provide assistance with mailpiece design evaluations of Election Mail.
• Verify:
• Accuracy of printed delivery address for reply mailpieces including the BRM ZIP+4.
• Official Election Mail logo size and placement.
• Format and placement of endorsements and other postal markings.
• Barcode content including Service Type ID, Mailer ID and Routing Code or BRM ZIP+4.
• Before artwork is sent to printer, finalize design with an MDA and submit pre-production proof.

Postal Service design recommendations.

The Postal Service highly recommends that local election officials use available Postal Service support resources such as Managers of Customer Relations and MDAs that can help you with design elements.

• Use letter-size reply envelopes.
• . The Postal Service recommends the use
• of letter-size reply envelopes. The use of
• letter-size reply envelopes will increase the
• operational likelihood that the ballot receives a
• postmark.
• . Consider appropriate colors, weight limitations,
• proper wording, placement of postal markings, etc.
• . Use pastel colors (adhere to Postal Service
• guidance on automation-compatible colors
• to use).
• . Local election offices should standardize use
• of color for each election type (e.g., primary/
• general/special/school.)
• . Instead of colored envelopes, consider using
• colored bands that encircle only part of the
• envelopes or borders placed away from postal
• elements (such as delivery address, FIM, and
• postage area.)

First-Class Mail “Best Practices”

• The Postal Service recommends that election
• officials use First-Class Mail for outbound
• Election Mail. Most First-Class Mail is delivered
• within 1-5 days.
• . Use USPS-approved practices to maximize
• postage discounts for First-Class Mail (e.g.
• presort First-Class Mail).
• . Create an Informed Delivery interactive
• campaign to enhance and extend the voter’s
• experience with the election mailpiece.
• . Include custom images, known as
• representative and “ride-along” images,
• and a target URL that directs the user to
• a digital experience..

Postal Service DMM requirements.

• Include the appropriate postage markings.
• Balloting materials must indicate, in a prominent location, the specific amount of
• First-Class Mail postage required for the return of the marked ballot to election officials.
• Alternatively, the marking “Apply First-Class Mail postage here” may be printed in the upper-right corner of the address side of the envelope used by the voter to return the marked ballot to election officials. The Postal Service will also accept approved variations of the described above markings.
• The marking requirements may not apply to balloting materials that are qualified under the special exemptions specified by USPS (see DMM 703.8.0 at https://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/703.htm#ep1174014).
• For the design of reply envelopes the Postal Service recommends:
• Use the Official Election Mail logo on all Election Mail because voters recognize the mail as important. Postal Service workers can distinguish the mailpiece from the thousands of other mailpieces processed daily.
• Use a uniquely serialized IMb to increase the electronic visibility of the ballot in the mailstream and allow the Postal Service to quickly identify and process on-hand ballots throughout the mail network.
• Ensure that the IMb includes the proper Ballot Mail Service Type IDentifier. The threedigit codes are listed on PostalPro: https://postalpro.usps.com/mailing/servicetype-identifiers
• Use Informed Visibility Mail Tracking and Reporting, a free service which provides: 1. near-real-time mail tracking data for letter and flat pieces, bundles, handling units (trays, tubs, and sacks), and containers as mail moves through the mailstream; 2. Ability to better plan Election Mail mailings and resources, measure success of each mailing, staff efficiently, and instill confidence in voters that use vote-bymail; and 3. flexible data provisioning and data delegation, allowing you to receive the data you want, when you want it, and how youwant it.