Election Day is approaching in Washington state, and tensions surrounding the vote are rising. Ballots are automatically mailed to registered voters, who can return them by mail or drop them in a designated ballot box. This system spares many voters a trip to the polls and gives them time to review their options, but this year’s election is unfolding amid disputes with federal authorities, lawsuits and heightened security measures.
Election officials warn that it is now too late to mail a ballot. Because of changes in mail processing, a postmark may not be applied on the day the ballot is sent, meaning it could miss the deadline. Using a ballot drop box is more reliable; if mailing is unavoidable, voters should take the envelope to a post office and ask for it to be postmarked there.
At stake are control of Congress, the state Legislature and the Washington Supreme Court, as well as votes on three initiatives. The state Supreme Court is Washington’s highest judicial authority: it interprets the state constitution and laws and can hear disputes over how state election rules are applied. Federal courts handle matters of federal law, including compliance with the U.S. Constitution and federal voting rights laws.
The administration of Donald Trump has taken a series of steps that critics say could call election results into question. State officials say the election will be free, fair and accurate. By Friday evening, 32.8% of the state’s 5.2 million registered voters had returned their ballots, slightly more than at the same point in the 2022 election.
The U.S. Department of Justice sent the state a list of more than 400 people it identified as noncitizens registered to vote. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said an initial review found U.S. citizens on the list, as well as people who were not registered to vote in Washington at all. He said it would be irresponsible and illegal to set ballots aside without evidence of wrongdoing. Noncitizens are not allowed to vote in federal or state elections, while U.S. citizens may do so regardless of their background. Three state organizations have filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent federal authorities from having ballots set aside.
The secretary of state sets general election rules in Washington, oversees their enforcement, reports statewide results and certifies the outcome. County officials handle the day-to-day administration of voting: the state is divided into 39 counties, whose local auditors mail and receive ballots, verify signatures and count votes.
The Justice Department will send observers to at least King and Yakima counties. Eight federal observers are expected in King County; the head of the local elections office said they would be given the same access as the general public. The department says about 1,000 observers nationwide will monitor the process and report possible violations. Separately, Gov. Bob Ferguson offered counties support from the state National Guard: troops would be unarmed, out of uniform and would only observe the situation. Seven counties accepted the offer.
Yakima County is home to a sizable Spanish-speaking community, including immigrant families, and has recently seen an increase in immigration raids. Many residents work in agriculture and food processing. Against this backdrop, some may fear contact with government agencies or mistakenly believe that information about their voting will be shared with immigration authorities. Advocates warn that such concerns could deter people from voting, and that pressuring or intimidating voters is illegal. Roxana Norouzi, head of the organization OneAmerica, called the situation voter intimidation ahead of the election.
Still, turnout in Yakima County is currently higher than in 2022: 29.1%, compared with 26.8%. County Auditor Charles Ross, who oversees local elections, says interest in voting is high and urges residents to return their ballots at drop boxes.
The special warnings about mail stem from changes in the way the U.S. Postal Service operates. Letters may be sent to a centralized sorting center, where they are postmarked, so the date on the postmark may not match the day the envelope was dropped off. A study of the August primary found that more than 20,000 ballots statewide arrived too late to be counted — 32% more than in 2024. In Yakima County, the number of such ballots rose by 268%.
Counting usually begins before Election Day, but results cannot be released until polls close. Final processing may take several days, in part because signatures must be verified and ballots mailed on time but delivered later must be accounted for. Officials remind voters that more than 650 voting centers and ballot drop boxes are available statewide. Ballot status can be checked at voter.votewa.gov.
So far, older voters have been the most active: more than 58% of registered residents over 65 have returned their ballots. Among voters ages 18–24, only 13.3% have voted. Nearly 70% of ballots already returned came through drop boxes, with the rest sent by mail. Turnout is especially high in Jefferson County, at 55%, and lowest in Adams County, at 22%.
Estimates of early voters’ political preferences remain approximate: one model indicates that about 61% of those who have voted lean Democratic and 39% Republican. These figures cannot predict the outcome: many voters can still return their ballots before Election Day.
Based on: Clash with feds hangs over WA as votes roll in before Election Day