Designing Election Mail  
Mailpiece design can greatly impact your mailing costs. Proper mailpiece design can improve your mail service and cut postage costs.

Schedule a meeting with a Mailpiece Design Analyst (MDA), who can help you meet that goal. An MDA is an employee of the U.S. Postal Service® who provides advice and assistance with mailpiece design.

Consider these tips when creating your mailpiece:
 
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Planning Election Mail
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Ballot Return Envelopes
The Postal Service recommends printing only the address and barcode of the election office on the front of the ballot return envelope and leaving the back blank. Some jurisdictions include a block for the voter’s signature, address, and delivery barcode on the back of the envelope voters use to return the ballot. Although we are able to deliver these envelopes to their intended destination, occasionally our mail processing equipment may read the voter’s address and barcode on the return envelope instead of the election office address. This may cause the ballot mail to be delayed or returned to the voter.

Logo
Use the Offical Election Mail™ logo to indicate that the mailpiece is from an official state or local election organization.

Colors
Use different colors to distinguish ballot types, districts, elections, parties or inserts. Check with your MDA about usage of color for paper and ink.

If you use different color envelopes to distinguish between different mailings, consider limiting the colors to the upper left corner area of the design while keeping the rest of the envelope white or a light solid pastel color.

Use a white or a light solid pastel color for the background of the mailpiece and utilize black or a dark color for print of the delivery address and related information.

Layout
For window envelopes, ensure that the delivery address and barcode, if applicable, remain completely in view or maintain the necessary minimum clearances from the edges of the window throughout full insertion rotation.

Dimensions
Design the internal documents (such as the ballot) along with the host and return envelopes to fall within the letter processing category.

Make sure the design (both inbound and return) affords an acceptable aspect ratio (length of the design divided by its height must equal 1.3 to 2.5).

Printing
Print on both sides of the election mailpiece insert or form to reduce the weight of your mail, and save on postage.

Weight
Design return mailpieces and envelopes that weigh one ounce or less, so they can be mailed back to you for the price of a single First-Class™ stamp.


  Related Services & Links
Mailpiece Design Resources
Designing Reply Mail On-line
Pricing and Classification Center