As in many other states, early voter turnout in Washington is very high.
“We have some counties in the state that have already had half of their ballots returned and, statewide, we’re already at a 33% return rate," said Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman on Monday. She told reporters that county elections officials are happy to see so many ballots in early.
“They’re able to process those ballots and get them ready to count on Election Night, so the Election Night results are going to be more meaningful if we can process more ballots through the system," she said.
Wyman and several of those county colleagues say they’re confident in the security of the state’s balloting system. They say that system is much more centralized and robust than even two years ago, when each of the 39 counties ran their own systems.
Some elections officials say they are beginning to change their advice for voters worried about getting their ballots in on time. The postmark date for ballots is just a week away. They say voters should consider bringing their completed ballots to county elections offices or drop boxes, rather than relying on the U.S. mail.