The August 7 primary is just around the corner and starting this year, Washington state voters can drop their ballots in the mail without any postage.
All mail-in ballots sent out to registered Washington voters have prepaid postage, meaning they can just be dropped in any USPS mailbox without having to pay for a stamp.
Governor Jay Inslee and Secretary of State Kim Wyman, along with several county officials statewide, made this new arrangement possible.
“Statewide voter participation is a huge priority,” Secretary Wyman said, “and all Washingtonians deserve the best possible opportunity for their voices to be heard. By extending the convenience of postage-free ballot return envelopes to every voter in the state, we are leading the nation in providing access to democracy.”
With voter turnout in the U.S. relatively low, access to easy voting methods is a priority for Washington state lawmakers.
This past spring, Islee and Wyman announced that statewide mail-in ballots would be funded for the 2018 Primary and General Elections. This was possible due to grants for 38 county auditors totaling $1.2 million.
Wyman plans on asking the 2019 Legislature to make postage-free ballot returns permanent for all future elections.
