(1) The secretary of state will work with each county auditor to identify the most cost effective U.S. Postal Service business reply permit type for their county. Once the appropriate business reply mail permit type is determined, each county auditor must:

(a) Establish and maintain the U.S. Postal Service business reply mail permit identified and use it exclusively for ballot return postage;

(b) Connect the business reply mail permit to the secretary of state's U.S. Postal Service enterprise payment system (or succeeding) account;

(c) Use ballot return envelopes approved by the U.S. Postal Service for the business reply mail permit established in (a) of this subsection; and

(d) Provide an independent count of the ballots returned by mail for each election, separate and distinct from the number provided by U.S. Postal Service, if requested by the secretary of state for audit purposes.

(2) County auditors may use their existing envelope stock until February 15, 2020, if return envelope design changes are required to comply with this rule.