Election Mail
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Steve Monteith
Manager, Transactions and Correspondence Mail
United States Postal Service
Agenda
 2012 Election Mail Review
 Accomplishments
 Network Rationalization
 2012 Challenges
 Issues/Mediation Plans
 Upcoming Changes
 Election Mail Postage
 Move Update
 NCOA code 19 - Inclusion of temporarily away
 Task Force 16 publication - PO box proposal
 IMb required
 Election Mail Recommendations
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2012 Election Mail Review
Review
 Deputy Postmaster General convened an Election Mail
Task Force to ensure the smooth processing of Election
and Political Mail
 Established Election Mail teams in each Area, District
− Coordinators are local points of contact for mailers
 Communicated to all employees
− Conducted national webinars for each applicable
functional area of USPS
− Issued standardized employee talks
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2012 Election Mail Review
Review cont’d.
 Implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs)
− Utilized past best practices
− Refined processes where needed
 We monitored inventories
− Tracked entered volumes to ensure on-time delivery
− Ensured volumes met required delivery dates in
accordance with service standards
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2012 Accomplishments
Summary
 Trained USPS Sales Organization
 Facilitated several Election Mail Webinars
 Political Mailer Outreach – Over 400 people have
attended our various webinars and meetings.
 National Election Official Organization Outreach
 Sales : Measurement Period - October FY12 through
November 8th, FY13 Revenue $507,548,429.92
Volume 2,804,162,469*
* Volume and Revenue numbers include both political and election mail
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2012 Accomplishments
Training
 Created and posted step-by-step training program
for election officials “Election Mail: Tips, Tools and
Tactics for Successful Mailing” on blue pages,
usps.com and Sales Force Resource
Communications
 Developed and published the Postal Bulletin Cover
Story (Kit) on Election Mail and related Operations
 Developed the 2012 Election Mail™ Program Kit
 Updated all election and political marketing collateral
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Network Rationalization Update
Today’s Changing Postal Service
Network Rationalization plan announced May 17
 Phase 1 began July 2012
 Phase 2 begins February 2014
Phase 1 includes consolidating 140 processing
centers
 46 processing center consolidations took place July
– August 2012
 82 processing center consolidations scheduled for
January-July 2013
Self-imposed moratorium on consolidations
 September through December of 2012
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Network Rationalization Update
Implementation Plan
To be
completed by
July 1st
Full
Consolidation
Originating
Only
Destinating
Only
Total
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47
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https://ribbs.usps.gov/importantupdates/NRWinter2013.xls
*Count based on plant and not ZIP Codes.
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2012 Challenges
Issues
Mediation Plan
New York and New Jersey
absentee ballot processing
(delayed due to Hurricane Sandy)
USPS recovered and/or rerouted
ballots from storm damaged facilities
Local USPS staff worked closely with
Election Officials regarding alternate
PO locations
State legislation not aligned with
Require Registrar of Voters to notify
Federal Postal Regulation or USPS voters regarding proper postage due
Policy regarding insufficient
within ballot preparation materials
postage/ shortpaid ballots
Expectation of service level (for
example, paying non-profit
standard price and expecting FCM
service)
Communicate earlier with more
frequency regarding service level
relative to Mail Class Paid for by
mailer
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2012 Challenges
Issues
Mediation Plan
Clear communication of final drop
dates
Obtain Military and State
Department final drop dates
Communicate earlier and more
frequently
Clarification of required signature of Current Business Mail Acceptance
mailers dropping after final dates
(BMA) SOP which notes that Official
Election Ballot Mailings accepted
after October 15 must be
documented using the Late
Submitted Official Election Ballot
Mail Log. Mailer signature is not
required.
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2012 Challenges
Issues
Mediation Plan
Are Postmasters or Postal
employees authorized to witness
and sign absentee ballots
Postal employees are not required
by Postal regulations to witness or
sign absentee ballots. Performing
this function is not within the scope
of a postal employee’s duties.
Low Scan Rates
Noted issues; bad addresses,
tabbed mailpieces, non-compliant
mailpiece designs, and inaccurate
mailer expectations regarding
Standard Mail service level
Frequent promotion of MailPiece
Design Analyst and Local Election
Mail Resources to ensure
compliance
Communicate earlier with more
frequency regarding service level
relative to Mail Class Paid for by
mailer
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2012 Challenges
Issues
Mediation Plan
Military Post Office 11-DoD inbound
express mail entered into regular
mailstream
Change 11-DoD label to express mail
packaging unique for DoD to ensure
EM product stays in EM network
Military Post Office11-DoD inbound
express mail tracking gap between
overseas acceptance scans and
stateside EM network scans
Create piece-to-bag level tracking at
military scan hubs and origins to
track EM sacks through GBS network
and into stateside EM network
Registrar of Voters expectations
regarding postage and certificate of
mailing fees being waived on
overseas and military mailings
Communicate earlier with more
frequency - The mailer does not pay
for postage on the mailing. However,
if the mailer requests extra services
such as Certificates of Mailing or
Certified Mailing, costs for these
services are not waived
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2012 Challenges
Issues
Mediation Plan
Availability of Voter Registration
Materials on Postal Premises
USPS policy changed to not allow
display of Voter Registration Materials
After Election Official feedback USPS
reverted to previous policy
Quality of Cancellation
Illegible or missing postmarks are an
issue
Remedial processes have been
implemented
Mail piece Design Requirement
Challenges
Frequent promotion of MailPiece
Design Analyst and Local Election
Mail Resources to ensure compliance
Registrar of Voters created a non
facsimile version of a mailing
certificate – Mailer expectation was for
Postal Service employees to sign
Communicate earlier with more
frequency – The USPS does not
recognize or accept non-facsimile
Postal Service documents
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Election Mail Postage Options
First-Class
Mail
Standard
Mail
Open to Inspection
No
Yes
Service Standard
1-3
2-9
36 - 46¢*
7.2 – 17.0¢*
by the ounce**
up to 3.3 oz
No
Yes
Yes/No
Yes
Feature
Pricing
Price
Content Restrictions
Sortation
*2013 Prices effective January 27,
**For presorted First-Class Mail letters, the 2nd ounce is free (as of Jan. 22nd, 2012)
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Move Update
Proposed Change
 Pay As You Go Move Update method
 Mailers would incorporate a specific Service
Type ID in the IM barcode
 Indicates the mailer will pay the price for
pieces to be forwarded or returned when
they've mailed with known old addresses
Status
 Federal Register Notice has not been published yet
 Pricing is not yet determined
 Expect the FRN to be published this month or next
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Temporary COAs
Change
 Return code 19 Found COA:
– New Address not ZIP + 4 coded, New address primary
number not Delivery Point Verification confirmable or
Temporary Change of Address
Mailer may choose to mail to the old address and allow
the mail to be forwarded to the new address (or dispose
as waste in the case of unendorsed STD), or suppress
that address for a particular mailing
Status
 Temporary COAs have been added to the NCOAlink data
beginning with product release 1065, January 28. Temporary
COAs will only be included in the 48-month NCOAlink product.
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Task Force Publication
Task Team 16’s Recommendations
 Pertain to information in the mailing address that
indicates that an address is a non-physical
address, like a CMRA or the new USPS offering
(Move To Competitive) where PO Box holders
pay for the use of a street-style address
Status
 Eight recommendations have been provided to
USPS management for consideration
 USPS has not yet made any decisions to take
action on these recommendations
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Automation Pricing Eligibility
Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb)
 Effective 01-28-2013, an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb)
is required for automation price eligibility for letters and
flats. POSTNET will no longer be eligible for
automation prices.
 In addition, Permit Reply Mail and Qualified Business
Reply Mail (QBRM) will be required to have an
Intelligent Mail barcode.
 For more information:
 See the Intelligent Mail® Services section of RIBBS.
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Postal Recommendations
Work with your Local Election Mail Support Team

Find Postal Election Mail Experts – From Planning to preparing
an election mailing. US Postal Service Election Mail
Coordinators provide the assistance Election Officials need.
www.usps.com/electionmail

Learn where to drop off government and election mail. Find a
Business Mail Entry Unit: https://ribbs.usps.gov/locators/findbme.cfm

For assistance with mailpiece design, contact a Mailpiece
Design Analyst (MDA) by calling the MDA Support Center at
855-593-6093 (hours of operation are Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–5
p.m. CT) or by sending your request by e-mail to
mda@usps.gov. Also, mailpiece design information is available
online at http://pe.usps.com/mpdesign/mpdfr_intro_all.asp
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Election Mail Objectives
U.S. Postal Service
 Committed to working with Election Officials to
ensure smooth processing
– Continue partnership with state and local
Election Officials
 Ensure the needs of military and overseas voters
are met
 Support State and Local Election Officials with
their Vote-by-Mail programs
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Questions?
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Thank you
Questions and additional comments, please contact:
ElectionMailProgramManager@usps.gov
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