||| FROM JENNIFER SWANSON |||
I’ve been hearing a lot of discussion and confusion about the threats to mail-in voting. People were especially disturbed to hear about the number of ballots that were rejected in Washington’s recent primary because they were “late,” even though they were mailed days before election day. The problem is our mail is no longer postmarked at our local post offices. It gets postmarked in Seattle, sometimes days later.
As things stand right now, here is the best advice I’ve found for ensuring our ballot gets counted, in order of priority:
- Use a ballot drop box;
- If that isn’t possible, mail your ballot as early as possible, no later than October 23rd, which is 10 days before election day;
- If you can’t do either of these, take your ballot into your local post office and ask them to hand postmark it. Then check it to be sure the date is legible.
Taking any one of these steps should ensure that your ballot gets counted.
Please spread the word. There is a lot of confusion in the news about upcoming Supreme Court decisions and court challenges around limiting mail in ballots. Confusion is deterrence. Don’t buy into it. Just vote!
Voting is the most vital, fundamental way to exercise our democratic rights and to have a say in our future.
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I would be impressed to even receive a ballot this year. Who is in charge to make sure even that happens?
It’s also a good idea to check to make sure you’re registered. Here’s how you can do that–or register if you’re not already registered.
1. Go to this page on the county website:
https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/1225/Voter-Information
2. You’ll see a place on the right side of the page under “Quick Links” where you can click on “My Voter Account.”
3. This page shows up when you click on “My Voter Account:”
https://voter.votewa.gov/portal2023/login.aspx
4. On that page, enter your name and date of birth, and click “Sign In.” That will take you to your personal Voter Portal, where you can see the address at which you are registered. You have until 10/26/26 to update your registration online if your address has changed.
On this page, it says “Ballots for the general 2026 election have not yet been prepared. They will be sent out on 10/9/26.”
If you’re registered and don’t get your ballot soon after that, ask at your local post office if ballots have been delivered. If they have, but yours didn’t get to you, contact the county elections office.