OLYMPIA, Wash. — While the state of Washington relies on a mail-in ballot system, voters do not need a traditional mailbox, or even a permanent address, to receive ballots.
Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall, a Democrat, said a “handful” of voters in her county have non-traditional addresses, including homeless voters.
“They have every right, as long as they’re a Washington citizen they can register,” said Hall.
A state law passed in 2005 allows someone to use a general location, like an intersection or a park, as their address.
Upon registration, they must provide elections officials with an address where they receive mail.
Hall said that could be a friend’s home, a homeless shelter, or even the local post office or voter registration office.
She said the lack of a permanent address does not lead to cases of voter fraud.
”Because we require ID, or the last four Social Security numbers, and we have a system that’s very good at checking for duplicates," said Hall. "And, it’s a felony. So for one vote, is it worth becoming a felon?”
Rob Wylder has been without a home for 10 years but makes it a point to try and vote in every election.
"The right to vote is important, it should be everyone's right," he said.
Wylder gets his ballots mailed to a former boss's address. As Wylder struggles to look for work, and hopefully an apartment, he says he's glad he still has a voice.
Chris Swagert, who lives in an Olympia tiny home village with his dog, didn't know he and his neighbors were eligible to vote.
"I'll definitely tell everybody," he said. "There's a lot of homeless people... that's a lot of votes."