EVERETT, Wash. -- The Everett area mail processing facility that serves northwest Washington will remain open for at least the rest of this year.

The post office sent a letter to Congressman Rick Larsen Tuesday saying the closure - which was planned for August - will happen no sooner than January 2013.

Larsen says the post office is keeping the Everett facility open in part because of our mail-in elections.



Larsen sent two letters to the post office in recent weeks asking to keep the Everett facility open because of the importance of timely mail service for small businesses.

He says the postal service has made it clear they still intend to close the facility next year.

Without the Everett facility, mail would be sorted in Seattle and mail delivery in northwest Washington would take longer.