YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. — Yakima County spends about $1.3 to $1.5 million on elections every year, but a sizable chunk of that money is wasted when people don’t turn in their ballots.
During the 2021 general election, the county printed and sent out more than 127,349 ballots because they’re required to send one to every registered voter in the county.
Yakima County Auditor Charles Ross said unfortunately, the county tends to come in last place in the state for voter participation, regularly coming in with the lowest rate of return. Less than a third of ballots in the 2021 general election — 40,843 — were returned.
The problem is that every one of those ballots cost $2.36 to produce and that money comes of of the county’s general fund, which comes mostly from property and sales tax revenue.
If the ballots aren’t turned in, they often end up in the garbage. That means the 86,506 ballots that were never returned the 2021 general election cost taxpayers about $204,154.
“Those ballots that are not returned are a wasted cost,” Ross said.
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Ross said with inflation and population growth, the cost isn’t going to decrease any time soon.
“They’re seeing the costs go up because of our labor costs, because of the cost of printing a ballot,” Ross said. “The corresponding voter guide has driven the cost up and of course, now it’s prepaid postage, so we’re absorbing those costs too — meaning, we the taxpayer.”
Election officials cannot get around printing and sending ballots to every registered voter because it’s a legal requirement. However, Ross said voters can make the cost worth it.
“Your ballot is not a piece of junk mail: it’s an extremely expensive, tracked, important piece of mail that you should take the time to sit down and complete,” Ross said. “You do not have to vote in every race. Only vote for the things you know and care about.”
As long as the ballot is signed and dropped in a ballot box or postmarked by 8 p.m. election night, it will be counted. Ross said it’s important to use a black ink pen, make your signature as clear as possible and include a phone number in case there’s any issues.
If you need to get a new ballot or have an issue with your existing one, you can call the elections division at 509-574-1340 for assistance.
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