Whatcom County voters recommended to place ballots in official drop boxes

The Washington Secretary of State's Office is urging voters to hand-deliver ballots or use official drop boxes to ensure they are counted for the upcoming November 4 election. This recommendation arises from a new USPS rule that may cause postmarks on ballots to not accurately reflect the date they were collected. Elections officials across the country expressed concerns about mail delivery issues that could disenfranchise voters, prompting the warning to USPS. As of Monday, Whatcom County has received about eight percent of ballots from registered voters. The Secretary of State’s Office cannot guarantee that ballots mailed during the final week before the election will be postmarked on time.

Voters must return their ballots by 8 pm on November 4 to ensure they are counted. This situation highlights the importance of proactive voting measures in light of potential postal delays. Officials are working to ensure that all voters can exercise their rights without fear of disenfranchisement.