Ballots could now be tossed if voters submit them via U.S. Postal Service due to postmarking delays

Voters who have not submitted their ballots yet should stop submitting them through the mail due to unprecedented concerns ballots will not be postmarked in time for the election, according to recommendations from the Washington secretary of state .

State law allows mail-in ballots to be received and still counted after Election Day, even if they arrive to election workers days later, but only if they are postmarked on Election Day or before.

Postal union leadership and election officials say the U.S. Postal Service’s delivery of mail – and, critically for the upcoming election, postmarking – has been significantly delayed by multiple factors stemming from former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “10-year plan” to reform the postal service.

The Spokane County Elections Office has recommended voters shouldn’t return their ballots via a mailbox any later than Friday, a full four days before the election; the Washington Secretary of State’s Office goes even further, cautioning voters to not use a mailbox within seven to 10 days ahead of the election.

Instead, voters should deposit ballots at a designated ballot drop box, which are managed by the county elections office, or have a ballot manually postmarked inside a post office, according to elections officials. A list of these county-operated drop boxes is available online and will be provided in ballots. Ballot drop box locations include the Spokane County Courthouse, many public libraries throughout Spokane County, several local town or city halls and the CenterPlace Event Center in Spokane Valley.