Washington officials said that, counter to a postcard sent by the U.S. Postal Service, active registered voters in Washington do not need to request a ballot, and postage will already be paid for returning ballots. | Stock Photo
Washington officials said that, counter to a postcard sent by the U.S. Postal Service, active registered voters in Washington do not need to request a ballot, and postage will already be paid for returning ballots. | Stock Photo
Postcards advising recipients how to vote in the November election were recently sent out by the U.S. Postal Service, but some of the tips on those cards do not apply to Washington state residents.
The postcards, likely intended as a public service has raised concerns from Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton, who is worried that the two out of the five tips detailed on the postcards that are irrelevant to Washington voters could create confusion,according to coverage by KREM 2.
“While elections officials throughout the county and state level appreciate the desire to help, this mailer was not vetted with us,” Dalton told KREM 2. “Washington election officials and local USPS representatives were not aware of the mailer until the postcard began appearing in mailboxes on Friday, Sept. 11.”
Jared Webley, the Spokane County Public Policy and Communications manager, said that voters do not need to request a ballot 15 days before the election as the card recommends, since every active, registered voter in the state will automatically be mailed a ballot 18 days prior to the election, according to KREM 2.
Additionally, unlike is advised on the postcards, voters do not need to use first class postage when returning their ballots, according to KREM 2. Those who receive the automatically mailed ballots intended for registered voters will also receive a postage-paid envelope.
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