County mail-in ballot has a weight problem

Published 11:19 am Monday, March 3, 2008

Ballots in Snohomish County’s first all-mail election are proving too heavy for a first-class stamp, election officials said Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Most of the 334,000 primary ballots weigh a hair more than the 1 ounce covered by a 39-cent stamp.

County election officials say they’ll cover the difference. Estimated price tag: $21,000.

“We’re going to pay whatever postage is due,” elections manager Carolyn Diepenbrock said. “If it’s got a stamp on it and it’s overweight, we’re going to pay the extra postage.”

The ballots are heavier this primary election because they are larger. Three columns were needed to accommodate the partisan primary and envelopes.

Also, a paper security flap adds to the weight of the envelope. The flap protects a voter’s signature from identity thieves and was required by the Legislature last year.

About five out of every six ballots arriving at the post office weigh about 6/100ths of an ounce too much, according to information from the post office and K&H Printers, the firm hired to print the ballots.

That weight can cost a voter an extra 24 cents if they buy their postage at the post office counter, postal officials said.

Some voters who tried to mail their ballots at post offices last week were told to pay the full 63 cents.

That charge is expected to continue, said Ernie Swanson, spokesman for the Seattle district office of the U.S. Postal Service.

However, voters won’t have to pay the 24 additional cents if they can muster a first-class stamp and put their ballot in a private or public mail box, he said.

“A message went out telling all of the post offices throughout Snohomish County that under no circumstances are they to return the ballot to the voter” for insufficient postage, Swanson said. The message is supposed to reach individual carriers, he said.