As the voting sticker (shown above) says, I voted. After making choices about candidates, statewide initiatives, and one local measure, I had one last decision to make: should I return the ballot using USPS mail or drop it in a Kitsap County drop box? I opted for the latter.
If anything, I’m inconsistent on how I return my ballot from one election to the next. It doesn’t seem to matter whether I mail it in or use a drop box. Either way, the Kitsap County Auditor’s office always has it in a few days, a fact that I verify using VoteWA.gov. Today, however, I was headed for the KRL branch on Sylvan Way anyway, so I used the drop box there. It’s one of 27 in Kitsap County.
I have confidence in the USPS concerning voting by mail in Washington, even though I didn’t hand them the ballot-return mission this time. I mean, who do you think delivers the ballots to voters in the first place? That’s right — the USPS. Next election, to keep my inconsistency streak alive, I plan to mail in my completed ballot. I try not to focus on how the media reports on voting in other states.
Note: If you mail in your ballot near the end of the election cycle, take it into the post office to make sure it is hand canceled before the deadline.
In somewhat of a scare tactic (although I’m sure they would say it’s precautionary), the official Kitsap County voting materials recommend that voters using the USPS send in their ballots by October 23. October 23? That’s more than 10 days before the postmark deadline. What’s the point of giving voters almost three weeks to think about and complete their ballots, if the elections officials recommend that the voting period be cut in half? Perhaps the recommendation is really more about the Auditor being able to process a significant number of ballots early to preclude being overwhelmed on election day.
As long as election law says the deadline is 8 pm on election day for ballots to be postmarked or put in a drop box, some voters are going to wait until the last minute. I’m not one of them, but I’m still fine with that. If it takes a few days for all votes to be counted, so be it. There’s still plenty of time between the election and the date the winners take office. Plus, the Secretary of State gets a month to certify the election.
Not every race needs to be called on election night. Last year in Seattle, late-arriving ballots helped defeat incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell. It was almost like watching overtime in an NFL game.
So, mailbox or drop box? Take your pick. Just be sure to vote.
