Tidelines

A typo in a previous Tidelines post incorrectly listed the early voting location of St. John’s Episcopal Church as 673 Maybank Highway. The correct address is:

St. John’s Episcopal Church
3673 Maybank Highway, Johns Island
(near the intersection with Main Road)

Early voting begins Monday, October 19 until Saturday, October 31 (closed Sunday, October 25) from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. Click here for information and locations.

–Tidelines Editors

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) made changes to the postmark process in January 2026. The USPS postmark used to indicate the date when mail was placed in a mailbox or handed over to a clerk at the post office.  The new postmark process now reflects the date an item is first processed by an automated sorting machine, not the date it was dropped off.

In the past, people did not have to worry about these extra days when they dropped off their mail at the post office. This new change could affect any time-sensitive mail, such as bill payments, tax returns, legal issues, and mail-in voting ballots.

These changes are part of the Delivering For America initiative, which includes consolidating mail processing and modernizing infrastructure.

Time-sensitive mail should be sent several days before the deadline, or mailed using one of the following methods suggested by The National Society for Tax Professionals:

Ensuring a Postmark on the Date of Delivery: To assure a postmark is applied on the same day a document is delivered to the USPS, individuals must utilize specific retail services. The final rule outlines the following methods:

• Request a Manual Postmark: Customers may present a mail piece at a retail counter and request a “manual (local) postmark”. This postmark is applied at the time of acceptance, so the date aligns with the date the USPS took possession.
• Postage Validation Imprint (PVI): When a customer pays for postage at a retail counter, the PVI label applied by the employee also indicates the date of acceptance.
• Certificates of Mailing: Customers may purchase a Certificate of Mailing, or use Registered or Certified Mail, to obtain a receipt that serves as evidence of the date the item was presented for mailing.

Please note that you must visit a U.S. Post Office to use one of these methods. The closest location is 2860 Maybank Highway on Johns Island, or you can click here to find other locations. The Post & Computer Center in Freshfields does not date the services it provides. For instance, Certified Mail is only dated at the post office or an automated sorting machine, not when it is prepared at the Post & Computer Center.

Keep these changes in mind when sending time-sensitive mail.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: iStock.com)

The midterm General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 and all eligible voters can vote early, no excuse required.

Early voting begins Monday, October 19 until Saturday, October 31 (closed Sunday, October 27) from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. Click here for information and locations.

The polling locations closest to Seabrook Island are:

St. John’s Episcopal Church
3673 Maybank Highway, Johns Island
(near Main Road)

Greater Macedonia AME Church
725 Savage Road, West Ashley
(off of US-17N)

Prepare to vote by reviewing the sample ballot and printing it out. You may bring the sample ballot with you into the voting cubicle. You can research the candidates by clicking here. Knowledge is power.

NOTE: If you requested an absentee ballot, then change your mind and wish to vote at an Early Voting Center or on Election Day, you will be required to vote via a provisional ballot. Your ballot will then be reviewed by the Board of Elections and Voter Registration in the days following the election to determine if an absentee ballot has been received and whether to count the provisional ballot or not.

Remember: In the General Election you can vote for candidates from any political party regardless of your party affiliation.

–Tidelines Editors