Direct mail still decides local elections — voters over 50 are the most reliable voters in America, and they read their mail. The problem for small campaigns has always been the mailing list: buying voter files and printing addresses costs real money. USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) removes that problem entirely. You pick carrier routes on a map, and USPS delivers your postcard to every single household on them. No list, no addresses, no permit fees for the retail option.

What EDDM Costs

Postage for EDDM Retail runs about $0.26 per piece — compare that to roughly $0.82 for a stamped First-Class postcard. Add printing, and a full carrier route of ~500 households can be reached for well under $300 all-in. For a city or county race, that's the cheapest cost-per-voter of any medium except the yard sign.

The Size Rules That Trip Campaigns Up

EDDM requires a "flat" — a piece bigger than a normal letter. In practice, campaigns use three sizes: 6.25x9 (the cost-efficient standard), 6.5x9, and 8.5x11 (maximum impact for platform and endorsements). The card must also carry the EDDM indicia in the top right corner and the "LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER" address block.

How to Run an EDDM Drop, Step by Step

1. Map your routes

Open the free USPS EDDM online tool, enter your district's ZIP codes, and select carrier routes. The tool shows household counts and demographics per route — target the precincts where your voters live.

2. Order your postcards

Minimum 200 pieces per route, maximum 5,000 per ZIP per day for the retail option. Print full color both sides — front for the candidate, back for the message and voting dates.

3. Prepare the bundles

Cards go in bundles of 50–100 with a facing slip. The EDDM online tool generates all the paperwork you need to bring with them.

4. Drop off and pay

Bring the bundles to the destination post office for each route and pay postage there. Delivery typically happens within a few days.

Timing for the 2026 Cycle

Mail takes planning: printing, bundling and USPS processing add up to a week or more. For the August 18 primary, cards should be at the post office by early August; for the November 3 general, by late October — earlier if you're targeting mail-in voters, whose ballots arrive weeks before election day.

Pair Mail with the Ground Game

EDDM works best as air cover for canvassing: the postcard warms the voter up, the palm card at the door closes. Print both in one order and keep the design consistent — same photo, same colors, same three points.