 Sept.2, 2005 No voter impact from absentee ballot envelope postal endorsementsA technical issue identified today regarding King County absentee ballot envelopes will not impact voters’ timely receipt of those absentee ballots, their ability to vote, or the proper processing of ballots. "The postal endorsement on absentee ballot envelopes will not impact voters’ timely receipt of absentee ballots or the proper processing of those ballots," said Dean Logan, director of Records, Elections and Licensing Services. "Washington State law very clearly allows for the forwarding of absentee ballots and requires that voters be advised of the legal qualifications for casting a ballot. King County’s absentee envelopes and ballot instructions do just that." An administrative rule adopted in 2002 to facilitate the preparation and processing of absentee ballots calls for postal endorsements on absentee envelopes that "allow forwarding of the ballots, to receive from the post office the address to which ballots were forwarded, and the return of unforwardable ballots…" The postal endorsement on King County’s ballot envelopes – "Forwarding Service Requested" does ensure that ballots are forwarded and that the county receives back mail that cannot be forwarded. The endorsement has been used in King County for several years. A similar postal endorsement – "Address Service Requested" provides the additional notification of the addresses to which ballots are forwarded when a forwarding order is on file with the postal service. "The distinction between these two postal endorsement codes has not been raised as an issue in prior elections," Logan said. "There is no impact on the voter, however, we will confirm the difference with the postal service next week and work with them to compare our absentee data file with their forwarding order file to ensure we are provided addressing information for ballots that have been forwarded." The county will change the endorsement code for the General Election. Earlier this week King County issued more than 587,000 absentee ballots for the September 20 Primary. "This in no way impacts anyone’s right to vote or their ability to get an absentee ballot," said Logan. "One of the benefits of absentee voting is the ability to identify issues and take immediate corrective action and still ensure the voters’ opportunity to cast their ballot." The county takes any concerns about absentee ballots and voting seriously. Voters with concerns are encouraged to contact the Elections Office at 206 296-VOTE (8683) for assistance. |
Updated: Sept.2, 2005 King County | Elections | News | Services | Comments | Search Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County. |