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2 clusters · 7 sources · 6 days · First seen · Last updated

Mail-in ballot rejection issues in Washington and Oregon

Overview

Election officials in Washington and Oregon have reported a significant increase in rejected mail-in ballots caused by late postmarks. In Washington, officials noted a 32% surge in uncounted ballots during the recent primary, with approximately 20,267 votes rejected due to late arrival or missing timely postmarks. This issue disproportionately affected rural counties, such as Mason and Stevens, where rejection rates more than tripled.

Officials attribute these delays to U.S. Postal Service operational changes, specifically the consolidation of operations into regional hubs to reduce costs. These changes can result in postmarks not aligning with the date mail is received.

In response, state leaders are pursuing measures to improve ballot accessibility. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read is seeking emergency funding for 20 new ballot drop boxes, while Washington’s secretary of state has allocated approximately $300,000 to reimburse counties for the addition of 21 drop boxes.

Entities

Tobias Read · United States Postal Service · Washington · U.S. Postal Service · Washington state

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Washington and Oregon see surge in rejected ballots due to late postmarks

    Ballots rejected for late postmarks have surged in Washington and Oregon following U.S. Postal Service operational changes, prompting officials to seek more ballot drop boxes.

  2. 9 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Washington officials report 32% surge in rejected mail-in ballots

    Washington officials report a 32% rise in rejected mail-in ballots due to late postmarks, with rural counties facing the highest impact from U.S. Postal Service delays.

Sources

bangordailynews.com · clarkcountytoday.com · kommunekontakt.dk · looniepolitics.com · lynnwoodtimes.com · philomathnews.com · VailDaily.com