If you are mailing a ballot close to the deadline, one option is to bring it to the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark. A postal worker can hand-stamp the envelope with the current date before it leaves your hands.

A ballot drop box is the cleaner fallback for many voters because it sidesteps mail delays and does not depend on post office hours. For people without a drop box nearby, mailing a ballot can still be the simplest route if the post office is close by.

The practical point is simple: when the deadline is tight, use the method that gives you the most confidence your ballot will arrive and be counted on time.