Washington Governor Urges Voters to Use Ballot Drop Boxes: Over 20,000 Mailed Ballots Missed the Postmark Deadline in the Primary
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson on October 30 returned his ballot at a drop box at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Thurston County, alongside Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall, urging voters to use drop boxes for the November 3 election rather than risk mail delays. Washington votes by mail, and mailed ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Figures cited by the governor's office show that in this August's primary, about 20,000 ballots that were mailed on time were not counted because they were not postmarked in time; Thurston County also received 71 ballots after certification. As of October 29, Thurston County had received 76,531 ballots, a turnout of 35.67%.
The Secretary of State's office counts 601 ballot drop boxes and 64 voting centers statewide. Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, and voters can also return ballots in person at voting centers. State officials are advising voters this close to Election Day not to rely on the mail, so a postmark delay does not cost them their vote.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 华盛顿州的选票投递箱（资料图）。CC BY-SA 4.0，Joe Mabel摄，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A ballot drop box in washington state (file photo). CC BY-SA 4.0, by Joe Mabel, via Wikimedia Commons.
