vote by mail Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Looking ahead to the election, answering your questions

By Lauren Gallup April 22, 2024

At the Pierce County Elections Center, staff confirm ballots have the correct information to be counted accurately. (Credit: Pierce County Auditor's Office)

The skepticism in how elections work and their accuracy has become a hot topic on social media, at the dinner table and in the news. Kyle Haugh, Pierce County elections manager, said since 2016, there’s been a spike in interest in how elections are administered. Read More

No Charges In Washington Ballot Drop Box Surveillance Investigation

By Austin Jenkins September 1, 2022

Signs like this one at the Broadview library branch in north Seattle popped up at some King County ballot drop boxes in July. They prompted concerns about voter intimidation and ultimately an investigation by the King County Sheriff's Office.

An investigation by the King County Sheriff’s Office into a ballot drop box surveillance effort organized by conservative activists has wrapped up without criminal charges.Read More

Idaho Lawmakers Unanimously Pass Bill To Make Permanent Absentee Ballot Counting Change

By NWPB News February 18, 2021

The Idaho Senate meets in the Statehouse on Feb. 18, 2021, in Boise. The Senate voted 35-0 to make permanent changes in Idaho's absentee ballot counting intended to speed up the process. CREDIT: Keith Ridler/AP

Legislation to make permanent changes in Idaho’s absentee ballot counting procedure passed the Senate on Thursday and is headed to the House. The state Senate voted 35-0 to approve the bill intended to speed absentee vote counting. It was used in the last general election and spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.Read More

Election Results Viewer’s Guide: Why You May Need To Be Patient

By NPR News November 3, 2020

A poll worker helps K. Maki (left) fill out a provisional ballot at Park Tavern polling station on Tuesday in Atlanta, Ga. After a record-breaking early voting turnout, Americans head to the polls on the last day to cast their vote. CREDIT: Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

You're probably anxious about the results, but patience may truly be a virtue on election night. Here's how to approach the evening.Read More

FACT CHECK: President Trump Falsely Claims That Votes Shouldn’t Be Counted After Election Day

By NPR News November 1, 2020

President Trump told supporters during a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, that the results of the presidential race should be known on election night. CREDIT: Mario Tama/Getty Images

"I think it's terrible when we can't know the results of an election the night of the election in a modern-day age of computers," Trump said. But the vote totals are never fully counted the same day.Read More

How The AP Calls Races, And What To Expect On Election Night

By PBS Newshour October 29, 2020

In this Aug. 5, 2020, vote-by-mail ballots are shown in sorting trays at the King County Elections headquarters in Renton, Wash. As of Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, nearly 53% of the ballots have been processed, with just over 53,000 remaining. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

Since 1848, the Associated Press has played a key role in calculating the U.S. presidential election results. This year, it’s had to adjust for some unusual circumstances as it prepares to determine winners in more than 7,000 races for seats in state legislatures, Congress and the White House.Read More

Why Washington Accepts Ballots Postmarked By Election Day Well Into November, Unlike Oregon

By Austin Jenkins October 28, 2020

A ballot drop box in Thurston County, Washington. While ballots must be returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, they can still be counted if they come in through the mail weeks later as long as they're postmarked by Election Day. CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3

Washington’s latitude about late-arriving ballots stands in stark contrast to Oregon, and more than half of states, where ballots must arrive by Election Day. In fact, by allowing ballots to still be counted nearly three weeks after the election, Washington has the most generous policy in the nation, according to a recent analysis.Read More

Texas Governor Limits Ballot Drop-Off Locations To One Per County; Some Officials Vow To Fight It

By NPR News October 2, 2020

Jonathan Lucero and Valeria Gutierrez prepare to receive ballots at the El Paso County Courthouse during the presidential primary in March. Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered order a limit to the number of places where voters can hand deliver mail-in ballots. Some county officials worry it will lead to confusion and voter suppression.Read More

‘We’re Ready’: Washington Election Officials Seek To Reassure Voters And Convince More To Register

By Austin Jenkins September 20, 2020

A person drops off a ballot for Washington state's primary election, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, at a collection box at the King County Administration Building in Seattle. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

As President Donald Trump intensifies his attacks on the security of vote-by-mail, county auditors and state election officials sought Friday to reassure voters the state of Washington is well prepared to pull off the 2020 vote-by-mail election.Read More

Washington State Elections Officials Warn Of Misleading Information On USPS Post Card

By NWPB News September 15, 2020

This election mailer was sent out nationally to every postal customer in September 2020. But Washington state election officials say it's confusing and inaccurate for Washington voters in the already all-vote-by-mail state.

The move by the USPS prompted a scramble by county auditors who run elections in their counties and the Washington Secretary of State’s office, which oversees elections statewide, to put out public messages to clarify the process. Read More

How To Register To Vote In Washington State: Everything You Need To Know For 2020

By NWPB News September 9, 2020

The 2020 Washington presidential primary ballot requires voters to select a party, which is new, and many people don't care for it. CREDIT: Scott Leadingham/NWPB

Whether you’re new to Washington state or just making sure you are fully prepared to vote in the Nov. 3 general election, here’s what you need to know about voting (plus lots of links for voters who live outside the state or have recently moved).Read More

Postal Service Watchdog Outlines ‘Concerns’ Surrounding Election Readiness

By NPR News September 1, 2020

Postal workers sort, load and deliver mail at a U.S. Postal Service location last month in Los Angeles. CREDIT: Kyle Grillot/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Postal Service still has a number of hurdles to overcome to support upcoming general election mail-in ballots, its inspector general's office says. Read More

Security And Ballot Drop Boxes In Washington: How It Works

By NWPB News August 23, 2020

This ballot drop box in Pierce County is an example of one of the quarter-inch thick steel ballot drop boxes that local elections officials commissioned and designed with security in mind. CREDIT: Melissa Santos/Crosscut

Washington state has laws in place to prevent that. And the state, which has been all-vote-by-mail since 2011, has a decade of experience with ballot boxes that counters the president’s claims. Read More

In Senate Hearing, Controversial Postmaster General Vows USPS Can Handle Mail-In Ballots

By NPR News August 21, 2020

In this image from video, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies during a video virtual hearing before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on the U.S. Postal Service during COVID-19 and the upcoming elections, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (US Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs via AP)

The U.S. Postal Service has suffered from financial problems for years, but Louis DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser, chose this summer to cut some overtime, withdraw sorting machines and impose other operational changes that have effectively reduced the system's throughput.Read More

President Trump Admits He Opposes USPS Funding For Vote-By-Mail, But Reverses Self Hours Later

By NPR News August 13, 2020

Washington state primary election ballot for the Aug. 4, 2020 all-vote-by-mail election. CREDIT: Scott Leadingham/NWPB

President Trump told Fox Business Network that he's against additional funding and election assistance for the U.S. Postal Service in order to sabotage efforts to expand mail-in voting.Read More

Postal Workers Decry Changes And Cost-Cutting Measures

By NPR News August 11, 2020

The U.S. Postal Service has had financial problems for years, but the new postmaster general is making changes and some workers are alarmed. CREDIT: Scott Olson/Getty Images

As a result of the new postmaster general's plans to shake up the agency, "mail is beginning to pile up in our offices," says Kimberly Karol, a postal clerk and union leader in Iowa.Read More

Postmaster General Touts Postal Service Overhaul But Promises On-Time Election Mail

By NPR News August 7, 2020

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, second from left, leaves the U.S. Capitol after meeting Wednesday with Democratic leaders. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

Louis DeJoy's political donations have sparked questions about whether he has an interest in affecting the delivery of mail ballots. He said the Postal Service has "ample capacity" to handle them.Read More

This November, Election Night Could Stretch Into Election Week Or Month

By NPR News June 13, 2020

Nina Ahmad declared victory as the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania auditor general nine days after the state's June 2 primary. CREDIT: Matt Rourke/AP

Mail ballots take longer to process than votes cast in person. So, despite what some politicians may say, experts say it's not a sign of nefarious activity when results take days to come in.Read More

Need A Witness For Your Mail-In Ballot? New Pandemic Lawsuits Challenge Old Rules

By NPR News June 1, 2020

An election worker in Renton, Wash., begins processing mail-in ballots during that state's presidential primary in March. Varying state-by-state requirements around signatures and other rules have become the focus of legal fights as absentee voting expands due to the pandemic

Among the main targets are requirements such as signing a ballot envelope, or getting a witness or notary to sign it. Small details matter a lot and could affect the outcome in November.Read More

President Trump Repeats Unfounded Claims About Mail-In Voting, Threatens Funding To 2 States

By NPR News May 20, 2020

People stand in line at a Detroit polling place during Michigan's March 10 presidential primary. Because of the pandemic, the state's top election official is sending absentee ballot applications to every registered voter for August and November elections.

Elections are run by state and local governments, and it's unclear what legal means the president would have to withhold funds from the states.Read More

Most Americans Think It Will Be At Least 6 Months Before A Return To Normal From COVID-19

By PBS Newshour May 20, 2020

Signage reminds people to social distance on Lincoln Mall, May 20, 2020 in Miami Beach, Florida. The city of Miami Beach is allowing non-essential "retail stores, personal grooming establishments, offices and museums" to reopen staring today.

Most Americans think it will take six months or longer for daily life to return to a relative sense of normal, according to a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll. And as states begin the process of reopening, a majority of Americans are worried about a second wave of COVID-19 infections, too.Read More

Ballot Printers Increase Capacity To Prepare For Mail Voting Surge

By NPR News May 4, 2020

Runbeck Election Services oversees production of tens of millions of mail-in ballots for elections nationwide in Phoenix, Ariz. With many states expected to expand mail-in voting for November, experts warn that existing ballot printing services could quickly become overwhelmed. CREDIT: Ash Ponders for NPR

With mail-in voting set to grow due to the coronavirus, experts warn that the companies that print ballots could get overwhelmed. One of the country's biggest vendors is ramping up capacity quickly.Read More