The Trump administration hasn’t given up on trying to restrict mail-in voting nationwide via an Executive Order. Their latest step is to petition the Supreme Court to allow its implementation. Distracting as this might be in a vote-by-mail state like Washington, their efforts are not the real voting issue as the August primary deadline approaches (see screen capture).
First, my prediction on the president’s push to change how we vote is that nothing significant will happen in Washington state in 2026. For the November midterms, Washington voters will vote using the same procedure they used in 2024 with two minor changes: some voters might mail in their ballots earlier than usual and a higher percentage might opt for the security and certainty of using ballot drop boxes. But that’s it. There simply isn’t time, not to mention need, to make changes to a system that is working well and is familiar to voters.
By including my phone number on the ballot envelope (it’s optional) for the first time ever, I’m making one small change to the way I do things. If the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office has questions about my signature, they can use it to contact me.
The trick is to not pay any attention to what news sources are saying about proving citizenship, strict ID requirements, the role of the USPS regarding voter lists, and whatever else is in the president’s unconstitutional package of voting changes. In short, don’t be distracted.
Instead, concentrate on learning about the candidates so you can make the best possible choices about who should represent you in Congress and in state and local government. That may mean more work on your part especially during primary season when there are more candidates and seemingly less information about them. It’s also a good reason to ignore President Trump so you can focus completely on the important right and responsibility that comes with being a U.S. citizen: voting.
I filled out my primary ballot today. For information on who to vote for, I used the local voters’ pamphlet, candidate ads and brochures, media articles, and any general knowledge I have about incumbents and challengers from having lived here for decades. Even so, it was a struggle to make decisions about the candidates in three areas on the ballot: the 6th District congressional representative, the Washington state supreme court, and Kitsap County offices (sheriff and prosecutor among them). As I said, making good choices is work.
There’s plenty of time before the deadline, so I’m going to mail in the primary ballot. For the November election, I plan to use the ballot drop box that’s outside the KRL branch on Sylvan Way in Bremerton.
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