On Tuesday, November 25, Kittitas County will certify and transmit the general election results to the Washington Secretary of State. That means around 78 voters have just two days to cure their challenged ballots so their votes will count.
What is a challenged ballot?
Challenged ballots are most commonly those missing a ballot signature or a ballot with a mismatched signature. Other reasons a ballot may be challenged include arrival after election day deadline (postmarked after 8pm election day).
HOW IS A CHALLENGED BALLOT CURED?
If your ballot is challenged, the County Auditor’s office will reach out to you and ask you to sign and/or update your signature. DON’T IGNORE the outreach! Wondering if your ballot was challenged? Log in to VoteWa.gov and check ballot status.
BALLOT RETURN STATS
42% of issued ballots were returned. That means only 4 of 10 citizens receiving a ballot actually voted. This is slightly better than prior years: 2021 had a turnout of 41%, and 2017 a turnout of 36%, but we can do better!
EXCUSES FOR NOT VOTING: Maybe someone moved between elections and forgot to update their voter registration. Maybe a voter misplaced their ballot or was traveling overseas. But the most common excuse we hear for not voting in an election is ‘my vote won’t make a difference.’
As shown in the above graphic, EVERY VOTE is important and can greatly impact an election outcome. Democracy is not a spectator sport, and it needs you. Your community needs you to vote. Every time you get a ballot, practice citizenship 101 and vote!