Style and marking of envelope; inserts; return envelope; size and weight of ballots

§ 1080. Style and marking of envelope; inserts; return envelope; size and weight of ballots (a) In order that the envelope in which an absentee ballot and return envelope are mailed to a person covered by section 1074 of this title may be identified by postal officials and other authorities as containing an election ballot, it is recommended that the following be printed in red on the face of the envelope: (1) Two parallel horizontal bars, one-quarter inch wide, one-quarter inch apart, and extending across the face, with the top bar one and one-quarter inches from the top. 86 (2) The words “Official Election Balloting Material—Via Air Mail”, or similar language as State law prescribes, between the bars. (3) The words “Free U. S. Postage, Including Air Mail”, in a box in the upper right corner. (4) An appropriate inscription or blanks for the return address of the sender, in the upper left corner. (b) It is further recommended— (1) that the gummed flap of the return envelope for the ballot be separated from the balloting material by waxed paper or other protective insert to minimize the possibility that the balloting material will stick together; (2) that the voting instructions include a procedure to be followed by the voter if the balloting material does stick together, such as a notation of the facts on the back of the envelope, signed by the voter and the witness; (3) that so far as possible each return envelope be pre-addressed by the election official, to minimize action necessary by the voter and to assure a legible and proper address; and (4) that each State reduce as far as possible the size and weight of its envelopes, ballots, and voting instructions, to minimize costs and speed up the transporting of balloting material.