USPS and Political Direct Mail: Changes for 2025EveryAction Admin Mon, 07/14/2025 - 14:00 by Stephanie Khani (She/Her) Price and Logistics Changes Continue at USPS. Here’s How They Could Impact Your Direct Mail in 2025. Direct mail is an essential component of an effective campaign communication strategy. Whether you’re mailing to a localized universe or sending mail statewide or even nationwide, it’s important to understand the structural changes happening within the United States Postal Service (USPS). Doing so will help you refine your mailing plan and schedule, and your budget. In 2021, USPS published its 10-year plan, Delivering for America. The goal of the plan has been to achieve financial stability, modernize services, and streamline processes to increase efficiency. What does this mean for political direct mail? A lot, as you might imagine. At The Campaign Workshop, we break this down into the two categories that impact direct mail the most: logistics and cost. Delivery Network The USPS has already begun consolidating some of its Sectional Center Facilities (SCFs) into Regional Processing & Distribution Centers (RPDCs) and Sorting & Delivery Centers (S&DCs). Smaller SCFs are being merged into larger processing centers, and mail previously processed at these SCFs is now being handled at RPDCs or S&DCs, which can accommodate a larger volume. Some SCFs will remain open, but instead of processing local mail, they will be repurposed for other functions, such as becoming delivery-only locations for letter carriers or transportation hubs. The USPS will continue to consolidate processing facilities through 2026 and beyond. As USPS service providers adjust to new processes, routes, and staffing changes, we have seen slower delivery times for direct mail in some regions of the country. This is particularly evident in rural areas, where the reduction of sorting facilities and staff has affected delivery schedules, resulting in elongated mail journeys.  These impacts highlight just how important it is to keep track of the time it takes for your mail to be delivered. This can be achieved by including seeds in your mailing list. Seeds are people who are added to your mailing list to verify delivery, thus allowing you to gauge the length of time your direct mail takes to reach mailboxes. Seeds could be contacts that you know, including people who are associated with your organization or campaign, or they could be provided by a third party, such as US Monitor. It’s important to make sure your seeds are as geographically close to your universe as possible, so you can accurately assess the mail journey.  Partnering with a direct mail consultant to plan your mailing schedule is essential to mitigating potential delays and achieving optimal results. Price Increases It seems like every time you turn around, there’s another increase in postage prices, and unfortunately, that’s not going to change soon. Bi-annual postage price increases are now scheduled to continue through at least 2027. Increases typically go into effect in January and July of each calendar year, with updated rates published approximately 90 days prior. While not all mail services and products are impacted by each planned increase, your team should pay attention to the rates and understand how they can affect your budget for postage. Knowing that the format and size of your mail piece, as well as the geographic distribution and size of your universe, can impact rates, consider utilizing smaller formats such as a 6x11 or 8.5x5.5 postcard to control your costs. Your mailhouse can assist in finding eligible discounts by presorting your mailing list and determining whether enhanced carrier route (ECR) sorting is viable. While not all mailings qualify for ECR sorting, having a healthy density can reduce costs. Your mailhouse should explore ways to maximize USPS discounts. Additionally, shipping your political mail directly to the regional sorting facility for entry can lead to savings, but it is important to weigh these savings against potential shipping fees, which can be significant. With De Joy’s departure in early 2025 and the newly appointed Postmaster General, David Steiner, anticipated to assume office in July, there are sure to be further changes to the USPS and your direct mail strategy in the near future. No doubt we’ll be covering those updates in future blog posts. Have questions or want to learn more about changes to USPS in 2025? Click below to get in touch or check out the rest of our blog for related content. Questions? Email Us Meta Keywords political direct mail Meta Title USPS and Political Direct Mail: Changes for 2014 Meta Abstract USPS changes to political direct mail will have an impact in 2014. Learn how you can plan ahead for USPS changes to political direct mail. Meta Description USPS changes to political direct mail will have an impact in 2014. Learn how you can plan ahead for USPS changes to political direct mail. Categories Political Direct Mail Tags Direct Mail Production| Political Direct Mail| Political Mail| Campaign Mail| USPS

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