According to Lynden Tribune:Elections are over for State Representative in 42nd district Races

The Fourth Corner

1 week ago

It’s election time. Do you know where your ballot is? This year, during our Primary Election, over 600 ballots were not counted in Lewis County. And an estimate 400 in Whatcom County People took the time to vote, but their vote didn’t count. Why? It’s because in many parts of the state, the USPS does not process mail on the day they pick it up. If you live in Lewis County, your ballot will not be postmarked on Election Day, if you drop it in the mail, and because of the law, you will lose your vote, if you drop it that late. Your ballot must be postmarked by election day to count.

There were also ballots that were either not signed or the signature didn’t match. The Auditor’s office will contact people whose ballots are either unsigned or incorrectly signed, but you have to take action to remedy the situation before the election must be certified. Your vote will not count otherwise. Here is the information you need:

1. Ballots are out in some counties, but not in others. You can go to votewa.gov, sign in, and it will tell you if your ballot has been sent out or not. Whatcom county is sending on the 13th. @Lewis County won’t send theirs out till the end of this week. I’ve heard that Pierce County residents already have theirs.

2. Please vote right away and get that ballot in the mail or dropped at a ballot box.

3. In my opinion, putting your ballot in a drop box is best. I take the time to go right to the courthouse and drop my ballot, but you can find ballot boxes all over the county. In Lewis County, you can find them here [elections.lewiscountywa.gov/drop-box-locations/](elections.lewiscountywa.gov/drop-box-locations/), but you can google the locations in any county.

4. If you use the USPS, here are a few tips. First, get it in the mail at least a week before Election Day. There are a few reasons for that. You can track your ballot using votewa.gov. It will tell you when it is received, but more importantly, it will tell you if it has been rejected for any reason. That will allow you time to identify any problems and get them fixed. I also make sure mine gets in early, because I want my vote to be in the first night’s tally. If you turn your ballot in at the last minute, they won’t count it until a day or two later.

5. Also, bear in mind that if you use USPS, it is free to mail your ballot. However, the county is charged for each ballot mailed. You can save the county money (your tax dollars) by adding your own postage. Again, I think it’s best to go with the drop boxes, but a ballot in the mail (without a stamp) is definitely better than not voting at all!!!

6. If you lose your ballot or don’t get one at all, you can call your Auditor’s office or stop by personally. Or you can log on to Votewa.gov and download a replacement ballot. You can select the link at the top that says “Your Ballot and Voting Materials”. Once on that page, you will see a link to download a replacement ballot.

7. When you vote a replacement ballot, the original ballot is invalidated and won’t be able to be voted. When any of ballots are turned in using your name, any other attempt to vote in your name, by you or anyone else, is kicked out of the system. Again, going to Votewa.gov will allow you to track your ballot to make sure there are no problems.

8. If you have lost your voter’s pamphlet or you didn’t get it, you can again go to votewa.gov. You can select the link at the top that says “Your Ballot and Voting Materials”. Once on that page, you will see a link to your personal voters pamphlet.

I hope this is helpful. Please forward or copy so people are aware that if they use USPS and wait until Nov 3rd to vote, it is likely their vote will not count. ... See MoreSee Less