Ballots hit doors this week in Washington State. Here’s your 2022 General Election checklist according to Benton and Franklin County Auditors.
WASH. — Folks in Washington are starting to get ballots in the mail. If you’re staring at the ballot, wondering, ‘What do I do with this now?’ We talked to Benton and Franklin County Auditors to summarize the most important things this election season.
“Vote it, sign it, send it,” said Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton.
Check, update or confirm registration
If for some reason your ballot or voters’ pamphlet hasn’t arrived, you can check your registration online here.
Up until eight days before the election, Washingtonians can register online or through the mail.
“After that we’re a same-day voter registration state so you can register right up until 8 p.m. on election day,” said Brenda Chilton, the Benton County Auditor. She said to do so by going right into one of your local voting centers.
Research candidates, fill out and sign ballot
Once you have your ballot and voters’ pamphlet, you have until Election Day, Nov. 8, to study candidates, reach out, gather information and vote.
“Before you return your ballot, you need to sign the envelope. There’s a place for clear marking on the envelope where you need to sign,” said Chilton.
According to Benton and Franklin County Auditors, sign your ballot in the most official way you can—the closest to how it appears on your identification card or driver’s license.
“It’s important to sign and date it,” said Beaton. He also said there is a space on the ballot for your phone number, and recommends filling it out completely.
Return your ballot
The last thing, and the only way to make sure your vote is counted, is to return your ballot.
“Make sure that it’s turned in on time,” said Chilton. She said you can do so by dropping it off in a postal mailing box—post-marked by Election Day, bringing it to a ballot box in the community or by voting in-person at a local voting center.
They said by November, or one week before Election Day, it’s recommended to bring it in-person and drop it off in a ballot box.
Find Benton County drop-off and voting locations here.
Find Franklin County drop-off and voting locations here.
“Even the USPS says that if you get within seven days, to use a drop box,” said Beaton. He said he tells people is if they can’t get to a dropbox, to bring it to a post office and get it postmarked there.
Get it in, and get it in on time to make sure your vote counts.
“One vote really does make a difference when it comes to those close races,” said Chilton.
The cutoff time is 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 to cast that vote into a ballot box, or have your mail-in ballot postmarked by that date.
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