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GEARING UP FOR ELECTION 2008 Even during times of war, the U.S. Postal Service has delivered the most fundamental symbol of democracy — a ballot. In 2006, the Postal Service provided hundreds of thousands of ballots to American troops around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan. In a joint effort with the Military Postal Service Agency, the Postal Service is again working to make sure ballots for active duty military personnel are delivered in time to count in the 2008 general election. Special handling procedures will be in effect for ballots mailed to military personnel stationed abroad Sept. 15 through Nov. 3. During this period, the Postal Service will send military absentee ballots by Express Mail service to the three military International Service Centers in Miami, New York and San Francisco. But soldiers and diplomats stationed around the world aren't the only ones using the mail as a viable, trusted option for voting. Record numbers of voters across the nation will choose to cast their ballots by mail this year, signaling the growing popularity of absentee voting and voting-by-mail. This, coupled with a projected heavy turnout for the November general election, validates the important role mail plays in the American democratic process. The Postal Service is committed to providing election officials with the training and tools necessary to implement successful and cost-effective mail strategies for the upcoming presidential election. One of the newest tools available is the green Tag 191 to identify trays and sacks containing domestic and international ballots. Here are some quick guidelines for attaching Tag 191: • For mailings prepared in trays and strapped, affix Tag 191 with a wire twist tie to the strap at the end of the tray that bears the tray label. • If your Post Office permits letter trays to be tendered without strapping, Tag 191 can be affixed to the tray with a rubber band double-looped through the handhold of the tray at the end that bears the tray label.
Election officials can request a supply of Tag 191s from their local Postal Service Mailpiece Design Analyst (MDA), Business Mail Entry Unit or Post Office. Allow adequate time for order fulfillment. Postal Service election mail experts are available to help explain regulations that will ensure quick, accurate delivery of election-related items and ballots. MDAs can help construct an effective mailing plan that meets an election official's needs and Postal Service guidelines. And address quality specialists have the expertise with one of the most important aspects of voting by mail: reaching the voter. Planning the mailing in advance will help ensure that it goes out in a timely, efficient manner, crucial during an election period. The Postal Service has developed a step-by-step training program for election officials. Each session of "Election Mail: Tips, Tools, and Tactics for Successful Mailing" is led by postal representatives sharing tools and resources to help customize a mail plan. To find out more about this training, send an e-mail to election-mail-manager@ usps.gov. For information on preparing and sending mail, visit the Election Officials' Mailing Resources site at usps.com/electionmail. Resources are available to help plan, address and design official Election Mail. A downloadable image of the "Official Election Mail" logo also is available at the site.
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MailPro Political campaign mailers can find information on how to prepare their mailings in the November/ December 2007 MailPro. Look for the article, "2008 Political Campaign Mailing Season." Go to usps.com/ mailpro. |
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• For flat-size mailings prepared in sacks, affix Tag 191 to the strap or label holder, depending on the type of sack used. 
