The mailbox in front the of Everett Post Office shows a pickup time of 5 p.m. (Sue Misao / The Herald)

The mailbox in front the of Everett Post Office shows a pickup time of 5 p.m. (Sue Misao / The Herald)

They voted but their ballots came in too late to be counted

Snohomish County rejected 1,271 ballots in the primary. It’s a problem in every corner of the state.

EVERETT — Voters didn’t have to put a stamp on their ballots in the August primary.

They did have to get them postmarked by Election Day to be counted.

And 1,271 voters in Snohomish County failed to do so. Their ballots were mailed too late to be tallied.

Alas, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Voters mess up this way every election in every corner of the state.

It’s hard for election officials to explain why so many keep missing the deadline. It’s easier than ever to get ballots in, thanks to free postage and drop boxes.

And “ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day” is one of the most established mantras in the state’s electoral lexicon.

“I don’t know. I don’t understand why there are so many arriving too late,”said Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Weikel, who leaves office at the end of the year due to term limits.

If all of these voters were repeat procrastinators, a reminder from an election authority might be a good remedy.

But they’re not.

“We do know who those voters are. It’s not the same person every election. That’s the challenge,” said Garth Fell, the county elections manager.

County election workers have, in the past, reached out to those whose ballots arrived too late to get counted. Then, when the next election rolled around, a different slice of the electorate committed the mistake.

There’s been talk in and around the Legislature of changing the law to require all ballots be turned in by Election Day. That would require that voters get theirs in the mail a couple of days early to ensure an on-time arrival.

Weikel isn’t a fan of this option.

“I struggle with that because I’m not sure that would change voter behavior,” she said. “We’ve been saying it has to be postmarked no later than Election Day and then we would be saying it has to be in by Election Day. It could end up taking a few years to reorient voters.”

Instead, she said, “we could do some additional advertising and other forms of messaging to make people a little more aware and educated.”

Sheri Nelson, deputy secretary of state, said the state is providing a little money this year to get the word out on new laws, like same-day registration, and longer timelines for updating one’s registration information. Public service announcements on radio and television are expected this fall.

One purpose, she said, is “to try to educate and activate the population that procrastinates.”

Late ballots pile up all around the state.

County auditors rejected 12,552 ballots in the Aug. 6 primary because they arrived with a postmark later than Election Day, according to figures compiled by the Secretary of State’s Office. That works out to a touch above 1% of the 1,176,240 ballots tallied.

King County, not surprisingly, turned away the most, 5,625, followed by Snohomish County and Pierce County with 1,047.

In the August 2018 primary, which saw a whole bunch more voters turn out, 17,167 ballots were rejected around the state for arriving too late.

Snohomish County accounted for 2,155. King County led the way with 6,325 while Pierce County had 1,866 and Spokane County 1,105, based on data compiled by the Secretary of State’s Office.

An interesting thing happened in the general election in 2018. Fewer ballots arrived late.

Across the state, the number fell to 9,379. Snohomish County rejected 1,129, according to state records.

Weikel and Fell had an explanation — an interesting election engages voters and their on-time performance improves greatly.

In 2018, the fall ballot was packed with contests for seats in the state Legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives and one in the U.S. Senate. And there were statewide ballot measures dealing with guns, carbon tax, use of force by police and local taxes on food.

An even better example in Snohomish County occurred in the 2016 presidential election.

Turnout in the county reached 79%, three times that of last month’s primary. Yet only 595 ballots got tossed due to a late postmark.

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@herald net.com. Twitter: @dospueblos.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

The new Crucible Brewing owners Johanna Watson-Andresen and Erik Andresen inside the south Everett brewery on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
South Everett brewery, set to close, finds lifeline in new owners

The husband and wife who bought Crucible Brewing went on some of their first dates there.

The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it's one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo council passes budget with deficit, hopes for new revenue

Proponents said safeguards were in place to make future changes. Detractors called it “irresponsible.”

Andy Bronson/ The Herald 

Everett mayor Ray Stephenson looks over the city on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015 in Everett, Wa. Stephanson sees  Utah’s “housing first” model – dealing with homelessness first before tackling related issues – is one Everett and Snohomish County should adopt.

Local:issuesStephanson

Shot on: 1/5/16
Economic Alliance taps former Everett mayor as CEO

Ray Stephanson will serve as the interim leader of the Snohomish County group.

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville, Washington will close on Jan. 28. (Photo courtesy of Molbak's)
After tumultuous year, Molbak’s is being demolished in Woodinville

The beloved garden store closed in January. And a fundraising initiative to revitalize the space fell short.

Lane Scott Phipps depicted with an AK-47 tattoo going down the side of his face. (Snohomish County Superior Court)
Man gets 28 years in Lynnwood kidnapping case

Prosecutors also alleged Lane Phipps shot at police officers, but a jury found him not guilty of first-degree assault charges.

The sun sets beyond the the Evergreen Branch of the Everett Public Library as a person returns some books on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘A brutal hit’: Everett library cuts will lead to reduced hours, staffing

The cuts come as the city plans to reduce the library’s budget by 12% in 2025.

South County Fire Chief Bob Eastman answers question from the Edmonds City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds residents urge city to reconsider fire annexation

The City Council met Tuesday to review a pre-annexation plan with South County Fire and held a public hearing.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Mukilteo in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Mukilteo police investigate online threat at Kamiak High

Authorities believe other schools around the state may have received similar threats.

x
Off-duty Edmonds officer accused of pointing gun at fellow driver

Melinda Leen was arrested Monday for investigation of second-degree assault. She has since been released from custody.

Robert DeLaurentis, a general aviation pilot known as the “Zen Pilot,” survived a crash Monday in Spokane. (Provided photo via Whidbey News-Times)
Whidbey pilot uninjured in Spokane crash

Oak Harbor airport owner Robert DeLaurentis was preparing to land Monday, but the throttle wasn’t working.

Bothell
Nanny accused of abusing Bothell baby, causing brain bleed

Doctors diagnosed a five-month-old baby with cerebral palsy due to injuries suffered in Amber Rath’s care, charges say.

Justin Roeth lies on a bed on Monday, Dec. 2 at the Marysville Cold Weather Shelter in Marysville, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
‘I feel safe here’: Marysville shelter saves lives as temperatures drop

Snohomish County has six cold weather shelters. As winter rolls in, they’ve opened for guests.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.