Voters in Chelan, Douglas Counties to Receive General Election Ballots
Hear ye! Hear ye! Denizens of Chelan County will soon receive their general election ballots.
According to Chelan County Auditor Skip Moore, "We'll have ballots at the post office for distribution on Tuesday. People should start seeing them in their mailboxes on Thursday or Friday." (The ballot delivery timeline differs slightly in neighboring Douglas County; more on that in a bit.)
The election takes place on Nov. 5. In the meantime, there are some pertinent dates to remember.
"If somebody's not currently registered, and wishes to register online or through the mail process, that's gotta be complete by the 28th of [October]," Moore says. "Otherwise they can come into our office after the 28th, but it must be in person." In-person registration, he says, will be open through 8 p.m. on Election Day. (The Chelan County Elections Office is located at 350 Orondo Ave., Level 3, in Wenatchee.)
Even at this late date, Moore says, there are myriad misconceptions about the integrity of mail voting; there's a perceived "lack of control," as Moore puts it.
"Sometimes we have to send multiple ballots to an individual because their address or precinct has changed. But once a ballot is received back in our office, that's the only one we can accept and all the other ones are not accepted."
"We never accept just a ballot in an envelope. We always have to have a name, a voter ID and a signature. Then we can check to ensure that the voter hasn't already submitted a ballot." In other words, there are safeguards in place against fraud and tampering.
Moore anticipates high turnout in Chelan County - "I think it'll be at least the same [as 2020], if not exceed it by a few points. I mean, it was quite the turnout in 2020. We're going to be right up there in 2024. I don't think we'll ever see 100 percent, which I would love, but we'll be pushing quite high on the list."
Should problems arise, voters are encouraged to call the Auditor's Office at 509-667-6808.
"From there," Moore says, "we'll figure out what the situation is. If it's a case where they haven't received their ballots, or they have any other questions, or if we contact them with the possibility of a signature issue, give that a number call. We're going to ensure that everybody's vote counts."
Click here for a list of drop box locations.
Meanwhile in Douglas County, arrival times aren't necessarily uniform; they vary by location, though the official date of delivery is Tuesday.
"They should be coming into most people's homes by Thursday or Friday," says Douglas County Auditor Thad Duvall. "But if people don't get their ballots over the weekend, they should look at giving us a call next week."
"If you want to register online, you have until eight days before Election Day. But otherwise, after that period expires, you have to register in person at the Auditor's Office in Waterville. We also have a voting center in the Law and Justice Building in East Wenatchee, off 19th St."
"Those who are worried about the mail delivery system, we ask you to go ahead and use our drop boxes - especially when you get closer to the election. If you get within one week of the election, we advise you to use our ballot drop boxes."
"We've moved our ballot drop box from in front of our Public Services Building [off 19th St.] to the building next store: the Law and Justice Building," Duvall says. "It's at the north end of the building by the flags."
"You would still access that building by coming down 19th St. or off Cascade Ave. It's in the same general location, but it's front of the Law and Justice Building now."
Duvall expects turnout in excess of 80 percent - miraculously high by American electoral standards.
Any further questions should be directed to the Auditor's Office. The Elections Dept. is reachable at 509-888-6402.
Voting at Industrial Building, Natrona County Fairgrounds
Gallery Credit: Tom Morton