The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently delivered two election ballots to Thurston County after discovering these ballots in an out-of-service USPS mailbox after election day.
The ballots lack postmarks but bear signatures and dates preceding election day.
The Thurston County Canvassing Board is set to review these ballots to determine their validity for inclusion in the final vote count.
Should the Canvassing Board decide to include the discovered ballots, they will be tabulated and reflected in an upcoming results update scheduled for Monday, November 27.
The official certification of the General Election by the Canvassing Board is scheduled for Tuesday, November 28, at 12:30 p.m. in Room 110 of the Atrium Building located at 3000 Pacific Avenue SE, Olympia, WA, 98501.
The ballots found will not impact any race's outcome in this election, as they do not originate from jurisdictions with closely contested races.
The Canvassing Board is slated to meet on Monday, November 27, at 10 a.m. The meeting will occur at the Thurston Auditor – Elections Ballot Processing Center, located at 2905 29th Ave SW, Suite E, Tumwater, WA 98512.
Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall urges voters to utilize official ballot drop boxes to encourage secure voting practices.
"Our staff pick up these ballots in teams of two and deliver them directly to our Ballot Processing Center, Hall assured. “If a voter finds themselves in another county, they can use that county's official ballot drop box too."
Recognizing the significance of the USPS in the vote-at-home process, Hall added, "The USPS is a vital partner in the vote-at-home process. This issue is being addressed at the highest level of the organization to ensure that this will not happen in future elections."
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