EVERETT—Recent changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) policies have introduced delays in postmarking mail, which could result in mail-in ballots being discarded if they don’t receive a timely postmark in Washington state.
With Election Day approaching on Tuesday, November 4, Snohomish County Elections is reminding voters to use one of the county’s 35 official ballot drop boxes to return a ballot in the final days before the election.
“Using an official ballot drop box is the best way to make sure your ballot is received on time, especially in the final days before Election Day,” said Snohomish County Auditor Garth Fell. “Ballots deposited in an official ballot drop box are collected regularly by trained election staff and securely delivered directly to Snohomish County Elections for processing.”
The USPS’s Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) initiative, part of the broader Delivering for America plan launched in 2021, has reduced evening mail pickups at post offices. This means mail—including ballots—dropped off at these locations may not be processed or postmarked until the following day (or later, such as over weekends), even if submitted before the cutoff time.
In Washington state where ballots must be postmarked by Election Day to be counted (even if received later), a delayed postmark could invalidate them. This issue affects rural areas most severely, as many post offices there lack same-day processing.
It is recommend avoiding last-minute mailing via USPS and instead use an official drop box, the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office in Everett, a voter services locations in Lynnwood, Monroe, and Arlington, or request a free manual postmark at a post office counter to ensure the date aligns with submission.
Voters have until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, to return their ballot to an official ballot drop box. Drop box locations are open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Night and are a convenient and secure option for voters to return their completed ballots.
A complete list of ballot drop box locations can be found in the local voters’ pamphlet and online at bit.ly/SnoCo_dropbox.
In Washington state, voters can have someone else return their ballot for them, but election officials encourage voters to use good judgment.
“If you need someone to return your ballot for you, make sure it’s someone you know and trust. While Washington law allows another person to return your ballot on your behalf, we encourage you to carefully consider who you entrust with that responsibility,” said Auditor Garth Fell.
Only the registered voter may complete and sign their ballot before it is returned, even if another person delivers it on their behalf.
Voters can visit VoteWA.gov to track the status of their ballot online and to sign up to receive text alerts about their ballot. These tools allow voters to see when their ballot is received by Snohomish County Elections, verified, and accepted for counting. Voters who have signed up for text alerts will also be notified if there is a problem with their ballot signature and provided with instructions to resolve the issue.
For voters with disabilities, Snohomish County Elections will have accessible voting equipment available at all in-person locations. In-person voter services will also be available on Monday, November 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Election Day, November 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours of operation and addresses of in-person voter services locations are listed here: https://snohomishcountywa.gov/5727/Find-an-Accessible-Voting-and-Same-Day-R
Preliminary election results will be available shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night, Tuesday, November 4. Results will first appear on the county’s website, followed by publication on the Washington Secretary of State’s election results webpage.
The number of ballots counted and reported on Election Night will depend greatly on the number of ballots returned before Election Day. Additional results will be updated in the days following the election as more ballots are verified and counted.
Author: Mario Lotmore
