I work for the US Postal Service and have come across some information that anyone who plans on mailing a ballot in should know.
Don't let anyone tell you that mailing in your vote is a risk. With the Postal Service's rules concerning the processing of absentee ballots your vote is incredibly safe. Absentee ballots are not allowed to be delayed for insufficient or lack of postage.
And in case you didn't get that -
Absentee ballots are not allowed to be delayed for insufficient or lack of postage.
The following information is from official postal publications. While access to many postal references is available to the public, the POM and the ASM are not.
From the Postal Operations Manual
171.3 Absentee Balloting Materials Not to Be Detained
Except as provided in ASM 274, absentee balloting materials must not be detained or treated as unpaid mail. The materials must be promptly dispatched and delivered to the addressees. Questions about possible abuse or impropriety must be referred to the RCSCs [Rates and Classification Service Centers].
The exceptions listed in the ASM (Administrative Support Manual) refer to delays due to criminal investigation by postal inspectors or by federal court order.
The following instructions have been given as a Service Talk for all postal employees.
Concerning the treatment of absentee ballots:
• Absentee ballots addressed to an election office, with or without sufficient postage, must be delivered.
• Absentee ballots must not be detained or held for postage payment.
Then there is this concerning how shortpaid and unpaid ballots are handled in the attempt to collect postage.
• Shortpaid and unpaid absentee balloting materials must never be returned to the voter for additional postage. Postage is collected from the election office upon delivery or at a later date. Do not delay delivery of balloting materials.
• Account for absentee ballots with insufficient or no postage using existing procedures for postage due mail. Attempt to collect the postage due from the election office at the time of delivery. However, absentee ballots must be delivered even if the receiving election office refuses to pay.
The basic point is that your absentee ballot will be delivered even if there is not enough postage on it. You should not receive your ballot back asking for the correct postage.
Remember, all absentee ballots must be delivered even if the election office that is receiving them won't pay the postage owed.
Keep in mind that I am not suggesting that you not put postage on your absentee ballot if you have it. I am just trying to make clear that the US Postal Service takes this seriously.
Your ballot must be delivered whether there is enough postage on it or not.
In the words of the US Postal Service from the Service Talk given to all employees in distribution and retail:
It is critical that this mail is handled correctly to avoid any negative impact on election results or the Postal Service.
Mail your ballot in with confidence!
Update for jcbdem:
I realized there was a second part to your question (comment from jcbdem).
Since the answer turned out to be a bit long I chose to update the diary so it’s easier to read.
In all postal buildings there are enclosed cat walks with mirror windows that allow someone inside to observe the workroom floor without being seen.
We know that at any time we could be being observed by a person or a camera.
This doesn't stop all unscrupulous people from trying to tamper with the mail but it does reduce the likelihood that they will. It also makes it easier to prove that someone is tampering with the mail because there is evidence that the incident occured.
In the almost 25 years I have been here I have always been amazed that anyone would try to tamper with the mail but they do get caught, fired and prosecuted.
The US Postal Service "don't play" when it comes to the security of the mail.
In addition, because most letters and flats (large envelopes) are run on automated machines it makes it even harder for a person to try to do anything to a letter at a distribution center. They would have to try to identify the mail piece they want, and find some way to hide it in an open environment while continuing to keep the machine running.
The automated equipment is incredibly fast (it can process up to 40,000 pieces per hour optimally with a goal of 32,000-36,000 per hour on average for letters and 21,600 per hour optimal with a goal of 15,000-17,000 per hour for flats). At those speeds it makes it very hard for anyone to tamper with the mail.
Very little of the mail is handled manually anymore except on the delivery end. By that point all the ballots have already been sorted in trays to the address.
Finally, because there generally is no way to tell what the vote is inside the ballot envelope, it would make little sense for a carrier to try to dispose of the ballots. He could very well be disposing of ballots for the candidate he supports without knowing it.
:-)