​Still haven’t voted? Don’t send your ballot by mail, say Tri-Cities officials

With less than a week left before Election Day, it’s too late to put your ballot in the mail, Tri-Cities officials are warning.

Instead, election officials and the U.S. Postal Service are encouraging voters to drop their ballots off in drop boxes to make sure their vote counts.

Ballots must be postmarked, not just mailed, by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. And because U.S. mail in the Tri-Cities must go to Spokane to be postmarked, it can take a few days.

Also, postal officials have said the coronavirus pandemic is causing some deliveries to take longer. As a result, they recommended anyone planning to mail their ballot should have done so earlier this week.

Nearly half the voters in both counties already have turned in their ballots.

Of the nearly 123,000 registered voters in Benton County, 50% or 62,400 ballots have returned, according to the county election website.

And in Franklin County, 18,440 ballots have been returned of about 40,800 issued — or 45%.

Rejected ballots

Elections officials in both counties are reporting hundreds of ballots already have been rejected because the voter signatures on the backs of the envelopes don’t match records or there are other problems with the ballot.

As of Wednesday morning, Benton County had rejected 860 so far and Franklin County has pulled aside 440, according to the Vote Washington website.

Washington state voters can go to voter.votewa.gov to check on the status of your ballot and registration.

Register to vote

Voters can register to vote in person any time before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

In Benton County, the Auditor’s Office has a voter center at 2610 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Richland for registrations, ballot problems and other voting questions.

Franklin County residents can call the elections department at 509-545-3538 for information about registering.

Questions

Benton County voters can call the election department at 509-736-2727. The website is www.bentonauditor.com/Elections-Department.

In Franklin County, call the election department at 509-545-3502. The website is www.co.franklin.wa.us/auditor/elections/

Ballot drop boxes

Benton County:

• Prosser City Hall, 620 Market St., Prosser.
• Benton City Hall, 1009 Dale Ave., Benton City.
• Benton County’s Kennewick Annex, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 5600 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick.
• Kennewick City Hall, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 210 W. 6^th Ave, Kennewick.
• Badger Mountain Community Park, 24-hour drive-through drop site, Keene Road, Richland.
• Benton County Voting Center, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 2610 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland.
• Jefferson Park, 24-hour drive-through drop site, Off Symons St, Richland.
• West Richland Library, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 3803 W. Van Giesen St., Richland.
• West Richland Shops, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 3100 Belmont Blvd., Richland.
• WSU Tri-Cities, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 2710 Crimson Way, Richland.

Franklin County:

• HAPO Center (formerly TRAC), 24-hour drive-through drop site, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.
• Franklin County Courthouse parking lot, 24-hour drive-up drop site, 1016 N. 4th Ave, Pasco.
• Fire Protection District 3, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 2108 Road 84, Pasco.
• Election center, 24-hour drive-up drop site, 116 N. 3rd Ave, Pasco
• Connell PUD shop, 24-hour drive-through drop site, 619 W. Clark St., Connell.
• Franklin County Auditor’s Office, inside the County Courthouse; Hours: 8:30am to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; Open until 8 p.m. on Election Day, 1016 N. 4th Ave, Pasco.

This story was originally published October 28, 2020 at 11:34 AM.