Thurston County may add two ballots found after election day. Here’s why

Thurston County has received two general election ballots from out-of-service mailboxes, following similar incidents in King and Pierce counties.

The U.S. Postal Service delivered the ballots Tuesday, according to a news release from County Auditor Mary Hall. The ballots did not have postmarks, but they were signed and dated “well before” election day.

“The USPS is a vital partner in the vote-at-home process,” Hall said. “This issue is being addressed at the highest level of the organization to ensure that this will not happen in future elections.”

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has called for improvements to postal service after at least 124 ballots were found in disused collection boxes in King and Pierce counties after the Nov. 7 election, according to a Nov. 16 news release.

“This deeply unsettling and potentially disenfranchising situation requires immediate attention and improvement so it never happens again to Washington voters,” Hobbs said. “I am very proud of the longstanding partnership between state and local elections officials and the USPS, which gives me full confidence that appropriate steps will be taken.”

Hobbs sent a letter to USPS Governmental Relations Leadership formally asking what steps USPS would take to prevent out-of-service mailboxes from being left in public spaces during Washington elections. He also asked how USPS may prevent voter confusion and distrust that may result from these incidents.

“Every year, millions of dollars in state, county, and local public funds pay for postage to deliver democracy in the form of our ballot distributions, voter’s pamphlets, and ballot return envelopes,” Hobbs said. “With that degree of investment, our voters must be able to trust that every ballot put into a USPS mailbox will be delivered and counted.”

Under state law, election officials may use the dates provided on the ballot envelopes to determine ballot validity.

The Thurston County Canvassing Board will decide whether to count the two ballots the county received at its meeting at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27.

About 39.3%, or 77,344, of the county’s 196,717 registered voters participated in the Nov. 7 general election, according to the latest results from the Auditor’s Office.

Voters approved a new sales tax that primarily funds law enforcement as well as elected new county and port commissioners, city council members, school board members and more.

The two additional ballots will not affect the outcome of any race. The release says the ballots are not from jurisdictions with close races.

Under the vote-by-mail system, ballots must be postmarked by election day. However, the Auditor’s Office recommends voters use a county ballot drop box if they plan to vote in the final week before election day.

“Our staff pick up these ballots in teams of two and deliver them directly to our Ballot Processing Center,” Hall said. “If a voter finds themselves in another county, they can use that county’s official ballot drop box too.”

The canvassing board will certify election results at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, according to a news release. This meeting will be in Room 110 of the Atrium Building, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia.

Newly elected Thurston County and Port of Olympia Commissioners are expected to be sworn in at the meeting as well. The release says the public is invited to attend.

The Washington Secretary of State is expected to certify the results on Dec. 7.