Washington Governor Jay Inslee says the state will pay for prepaid postage on mail-in ballots in this year's primary and general elections — but not for voters in King County, where local officials approved a similar measure last week.
The decision Tuesday came at the request of Secretary of State Kim Wyman, who said letting people skip the stamp would boost turnout. She asked Gov. Inslee to let her spend nearly $2 million to reimburse all 39 counties on prepaid postage in this year's primary and general elections, arguing it would be unfair if only King County voters could mail their ballots for free.
“This is about leveling the playing field and making elections equal for all citizens of Washington State,” said Wyman, who supported the King County measure and has supported statewide ballot postage proposals for a number of legislative sessions.
Gov. Inslee and Wyman said in a joint statement their offices could come up with $1.2 million to reimburse all counties except King, where roughly one-third of Washington's registered voters live. Instead, they'll ask the Legislature next year to reimburse King County.
“More voter participation makes for a stronger democracy. Because Washington is a vote-by-mail state, pre-paid postage is one important way we can reduce barriers to casting ballots,” Gov. Inslee said. “We'll be working with legislators to secure ongoing funding, establish a permanent statewide program, and ensure King County is reimbursed for their proactive work on this effort.”
