Grant, Asotin ballot envelopes sent out with printing error
Charles H. Featherstone/Columbia Basin Herald Ballots for two Washington counties, one of them Grant County, were mistakenly sent out with envelopes requiring postage.
MOSES LAKE — Ballots for this year’s general elections in Grant and Asotin counties were supposed to have postage paid envelopes in them.
But thanks to a printing error, they don’t.
And while this problem is easily solved by simply putting a stamp on those envelopes, it puts a partial kibosh on an effort announced in May by Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of State Kim Wyman to cover the cost of returning completed ballots all of Washington’s 39 counties.
“Our job is to be sure that voters in both of these counties are treated the same as the voters in Washington’s other 37 counties,” Wyman said in a news release. “That’s why my office is assisting elections officials in those two counties to find a quick resolution.”
“Our direct marketing service Immedia has placed the incorrect return envelopes with our ballots; the envelopes say to place a first-class stamp on them,” County Auditor Michelle Jaderlund said in a news release issued Monday morning.
Jaderlund is asking voters to put a first-class stamp on those envelopes or take them to any one of the ballot drop boxes available across Grant County.
However, Jaderlund added a stamp is not necessary.
“Post offices in Grant County have been made aware of the issue and have indicated they will treat unstamped ballot-return envelopes the same as business-reply mail, which doesn’t require postage,” she said.
Drive-up ballot boxes are located at the Grant County Courthouse Public Lot A in Ephrata, Moses Lake City Hall, The Grant County Public Utility District offices in Grand Coulee, Grant County Fire District No. 10 fire hall in Royal City, and the Quincy Public Library.
In May, Inslee and Wyman announced that the state would cover the $1.8 million cost of return postage on ballots both the August primary and the November general elections.
“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,” 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.”