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As of Thursday morning, 13,645 voters have returned their ballots for the November 3 General Election, representing about 2.5% of Snohomish County’s nearly 546,000 registered voters. Snohomish County Elections encourages voters to review their ballots, make their selections, and return them as early as possible. Returning ballots early gives voters more time to address potential issues and can help them avoid anticipated long lines at ballot drop boxes, accessible voter services sites, and the Auditor’s Office in the days leading up to and on Election Day.
To provide voters with more time to participate, Snohomish County Elections mailed ballots about a week earlier than usual to approximately 535,000 registered voters on Friday, October 9. The county also mailed 8,658 ballots to military and overseas voters in mid-September. With reported mail delivery performance at about 99.9%, nearly all Snohomish County voters should have received their ballot by now. Voters who have not received a ballot for the November 3 General Election yet should contact Snohomish County Elections at (425) 388-3444. The county anticipates around 65% voter turnout for this election.
Voters are encouraged to use the combined state and local voters’ pamphlet to learn more about the candidates and measures that appear on their ballots. The pamphlet was mailed to every Snohomish County household in early October. The pamphlet is also available to read online or in Spanish on the county’s website.
Each ballot packet contains an informational page, known as a ballot wrap, which includes information about the election, voting instructions, and location details for the nearest ballot drop boxes based on the voter’s residential address. The November ballot is folded inside the informational page, so voters should be sure to completely unfold the contents to locate their ballot. Ballot packets also include a ballot return envelope and an optional ballot security sleeve.
Voters may notice a misspelling of the word “general” on the ballot return envelopes included in their ballot packets. Snohomish County Elections assures voters that the typographical error will not affect ballot processing, signature verification, or the validity of their returned ballot. Voters do not need to request a replacement envelope because of the typo and can confidently return their ballots using the envelope provided.
Before returning their ballot, voters should remember to sign the voter’s oath on the outside of the ballot return envelope. This signature is required for the ballot to be processed and serves two purposes. First, it is the voter’s legal declaration that they meet the voter eligibility requirements listed. Second, it allows Snohomish County Elections to verify the voter’s identity by comparing the signature on the envelope with the signature on file in the voter’s registration record.
Trained elections staff review every signature on every ballot return envelope during every election. If a signature is missing or does not match the signature on file, Snohomish County Elections will contact the voter by mail and, when available, through other contact information on file. A ballot with a missing or challenged signature cannot be processed until the issue is resolved.
Voters should also consider how they will return their ballots as Election Day approaches. Recent U.S. Postal Service operational changes, including reduced pickup frequency in some areas and changes to postmarking procedures, may affect delivery and postmark timelines for ballots mailed close to Election Day. Official ballot drop boxes remain the most direct and reliable way to ensure ballots are received on time, especially during the final week before Election Day.
There are 38 official ballot drop boxes open across Snohomish County for the November 3 General Election. Ballot drop boxes are available 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day, providing a convenient option for voters to return their completed ballots. A complete list of official ballot drop box locations can be found online at snoco.gov/elections and in the voters’ pamphlet.
Voters who need to return their ballot by mail within one week of Election Day are encouraged to visit a local post office to request a free, hand-stamped postmark from a postal clerk to ensure their ballot is postmarked on time. Ballots must be postmarked by November 3 to be counted.
The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration online or by mail is Monday, October 26. After the online and mail registration deadline, voters can still register to vote or update their existing registration information in person at the Auditor’s Office in Everett and accessible voter services locations up until 8 p.m. on Election Night. Voters can find location information and operating hours for accessible voter services locations in the local voters’ pamphlet and on the county’s website.
Voters can track their ballot's progress online at VoteWA.gov to see when it has been received, verified, and accepted for counting. Voters can also sign up for ballot text alerts to be notified when their ballot completes each step of the process. If there is a problem with their ballot signature, voters who have signed up for text alerts will receive a text explaining the issue and how to resolve it.
For more information, visit Snohomish County Elections’ website at snoco.gov/elections. You can also connect with the Auditor's Office on Facebook, Instagram, and X. If you have additional questions, please email Snohomish County Elections at elections@snoco.gov.
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