Track Your Mail-in Ballot

For the upcoming midterm elections, I voted by mail. In the state of California, a ballot is mailed to every registered voter a few weeks before the election. While there is an option to vote in person, I prefer to avoid lines and send my ballot via US mail. Because I had previously registered at BallotTrax, I received two email notifications the day after I mailed my ballot. Here’s the first one:

November 8, 2022, General Election: Ballot Collected by USPS

This is a message from the California Secretary of State on behalf of Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters. The US Postal Service has collected your ballot for the upcoming November 8, 2022, General Election and will deliver it to us soon.

Here’s the second one:

November 8, 2022, General Election: Ballot Counted

This is a message from the California Secretary of State on behalf of Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters. Your ballot for the November 8, 2022, General Election was received and counted. Thank you for voting!

To see if your state or county uses BallotTrax, visit https://wheresmyballot.com. It features an interactive map that color codes states using BallotTrax, states with BallotTrax counties, and states where BallotTrax is not supported.

USPS Package Odyssey

On October 9, 2022, I purchased an item online and chose to have it delivered to me using standard shipping via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). On October 10, I received an email confirmation with USPS tracking number 9400111202557177590295. Initially I was given an estimated arrival date of October 13. However, I was notified that the delivery was running late, so I was given revised arrival dates of October 15, 17, and eventually 21.

The package finally arrived on October 21 after spending 2 days in Wisconsin, 2 days in Kansas, and 8 days in Los Angeles, CA (where I am guessing it was somehow accidentally misplaced). Here is a summary of its journey, based on the USPS tracking information.

Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item

PEWAUKEE, WI 53072 

October 10, 2022, 12:38 pm

Accepted at USPS Origin Facility

PEWAUKEE, WI 53072 

October 11, 2022, 7:41 pm

Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility

OAK CREEK WI DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 11, 2022, 8:56 pm

Departed USPS Regional Facility

OAK CREEK WI DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 12, 2022, 6:43 am

Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

KANSAS CITY KS LOGISTICS CENTER 

October 12, 2022, 7:25 pm

Departed USPS Regional Facility

KANSAS CITY KS LOGISTICS CENTER 

October 13, 2022, 4:58 am

Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

LOS ANGELES CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 14, 2022, 7:45 am

Departed USPS Regional Facility

LOS ANGELES CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 14, 2022, 8:55 am

In Transit to Next Facility

October 14, 2022, 9:17 am

Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 14, 2022, 9:38 am

Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility

LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 14, 2022, 3:36 pm

In Transit to Next Facility

October 17, 2022

Arrived at USPS Facility

LOS ANGELES, CA 90001 

October 17, 2022, 9:37 pm

Departed USPS Facility

LOS ANGELES, CA 90001 

October 18, 2022, 9:38 am

Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility

LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 20, 2022, 12:30 am

Arrived at USPS Facility

LOS ANGELES, CA 90001 

October 20, 2022, 11:58 am

Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility

LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 21, 2022, 12:25 am

Departed USPS Regional Facility

LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

October 21, 2022, 3:33 am

Arrived at USPS Facility

LOS ANGELES, CA 90064 

October 21, 2022, 4:16 am

Arrived at Post Office

LOS ANGELES, CA 90064 

October 21, 2022, 5:37 am

Out for Delivery

LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 

October 21, 2022, 6:10 am

Delivered, In/At Mailbox

LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 

October 21, 2022, 4:40 pm

I appreciate the transparency that is provided with the tracking information, and I often sign up for text message and/or email alerts through any shipping service if provided the option. Not that I could really do anything about it, but it’s nice to know where a package is in its journey.