Primary election ballots coming soon to Spokane County mailboxes

Spokane County officials will begin mailing Aug. 6 primary election ballots Wednesday as political campaigns ramp up efforts to sway voters.

Roughly 367,000 ballots will be sent to Spokane County voters between Wednesday and Friday, according to county Election Manager Mike McLaughlin.

Voters can expect a variety of positions up for election, including governor, seats in the U.S. Senate and the state House, and various nonpartisan offices. Some ballots will have tax proposals in smaller cities or fire districts.

Successfully completing a ballot requires voters to follow simple steps. These ensure each eligible voter receives their ballot and their vote is anonymously counted in the election. It also helps those processing ballots.

Register

The county elections website offers three avenues for registering: online, mail-in or in person.

Address

Eligible registrants must provide a residential address. County Auditor Vicky Dalton said this allows the office to know what races they are eligible to vote on.

If voters use a mailing address, they can indicate that when registering. It’s important to note that it’s the duty of voters to inform the elections office of any address changes.

Receiving the ballot

Registered voters should contact the county election office if their ballot does not arrive by Tuesday, McLaughlin said.

Completing the ballot

It’s important that voters are precise when it comes to voting and timing, Dalton noted.

• Bubbles should be filled entirely and in dark ink.
• Sign the ballot. Dalton said “every single signature” is compared to the inscription in a voter’s registration record. In the event that the signatures do not match, it “is reviewed by at least three different sets of people before it’s ultimately rejected.”
• If a ballot is challenged, the voter will be sent a letter “usually the same day as the evaluation of the signature, and then they need to follow the instructions to cure the problem.”
• Another important component is using the included security envelope. Ballots should be placed in that envelope, and then the security envelope is inserted into the return envelope. The purpose of the security layer is to “protect the privacy of your vote,” Dalton said. Although votes are not discounted if the security envelope is absent, it is a necessary measure that ensures voters’ integrity and anonymity.

Returning the ballot

Voters can choose to mail in their completed ballot or drop it off at one of the county’s official white bins, whose locations are listed on the county website. Typically, 55% opt to mail, while the remaining 45% drop off, McLaughlin said. Timing is crucial.

• For mail-in, the ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day. But voters should be cautious of the final pickup time of the postal location they choose. For example, a ballot dropped off at 5 p.m. on Election Day at a mailbox with a 3 p.m. collection deadline will not be counted.
• Drop-off ballots are due by 8 p.m., Election Day.

Dalton advises county residents that Washington is unusual in that election officials will “go to great lengths to rescue voters from any errors.”

Contact the Spokane County Elections Office with questions or to register at (509) 477-2320.