In a concerning incident ahead of the midterm elections, numerous undelivered ballots were discovered in a dumpster at a Seattle park. A local voter reported the issue to King County Elections (KCE) upon noticing the discarded mail.

Details of the Discovery

KCE staff responded quickly to the report and arrived at Golden Gardens Park, where they located two bins containing mail, including a total of 92 ballots.

Following the discovery, KCE promptly informed the United States Postal Service (USPS), which is now investigating the situation. Affected voters have already had their ballots reissued.

Ongoing Concerns About Mail Theft

KCE Chief of Staff Kendall Hodson remarked on the issue, stating, “Unfortunately, mail theft happens and does not seem to slow down for election season.” According to Hodson, similar reports of ballot theft are not uncommon during major elections.

He emphasized that, based on information from law enforcement, ballots are generally not the primary target of mail thieves, as evidenced by the circumstances in this case.

USPS Commitment to Secure Mail Delivery

The U.S. Postal Service has publicly addressed the incident, affirming its dedication to the secure and timely delivery of election mail. USPS is apprised of the situation in Seattle and has confirmed that the investigation is being handled by its Office of the Inspector General.

What Voters Should Do

King County voters who have not received their ballots are encouraged to contact KCE at 206-296-8683. Additional options for obtaining replacement ballots can be found here.

Should individuals discover ballots in inappropriate locations, they are urged to reach out to KCE via email at elections@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-VOTE. Providing a photo and specific details of the location can assist in addressing the issue effectively.

Ensuring Ballot Security

Hodson reassured the public about the security measures in place to ensure that only registered voters can cast their ballots. “The security to ensure only a registered voter votes their ballot happens on the back end when we verify the voter’s signature and that they haven’t already returned a ballot,” he stated.

KCE spokesperson Halei Watkins elaborated on additional safeguards, asserting that every voter and ballot possesses a unique ID, and only one ballot per voter is accepted.

“Every single signature on every single ballot is verified to confirm the voter’s identity,” Watkins said. “If there is any uncertainty regarding a signature, the affected ballot is held for clarification, and the voter is contacted.”

Voters have until the day before the official certification date of the election to address any signature inconsistencies.