Drop box watchers seen in Tri-Cities. What they can — and can’t — do under WA law
Reports are popping up in the Tri-Cities of people watching ballot drop boxes in the lead-up to the upcoming Nov. 8 midterm election.
A Richland resident said his wife felt “intimidated” when she dropped off her and her husband’s ballots on Tuesday last week at the Badger Mountain Community Park. A woman parked in a cream Cadillac SUV watched her as she slid her two ballots into the county-certified drop box.
The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said his wife hesitated to put the ballot into the box and was “fearful of her safety.” It was midday and the parking lot was mostly empty.
People also have been watching a drop box at Jefferson Park, just off Symons Street in Richland.
All eyes are on the Nov. 8 general election as Washington congressional candidates take to the last week of the campaign trail and as voters finalize their choices for federal, state and local races.
Elections officials have been under increased scrutiny in recent years, with unfounded and brazen claims of voter fraud and election rigging thrown around. That has led some volunteers — even here in the Tri-Cities — to keep a close eye out on their local ballot boxes.
The activity is completely legal — so long as it’s not done within 25 feet of a drop box, per Washington state electioneering laws. And Benton County Auditor Brenda Chilton even encouraged it prior to the August primary election.
But that hasn’t stopped voters from calling in concerned about people parked in cars watching them, said Benton County Elections manager Amanda Hatfield.
“To hear that it’s actually happening is new,” she said.
There were no reports of drop box watching in 2020.
Hatfield said her department has notified local police chiefs about electioneering laws, and patrol officers plan to check in on drop box locations to make sure voters are keeping the peace.
Drop box watchers cannot interfere with a person dropping off their ballot.
Benton County Elections expects 60% of its registered voters to turnout for this upcoming election. As of Tuesday, about 22% of the more than 125,000 Benton County voters had returned their ballots so far.
In Franklin County, approximately 7,800 — or roughly 18% — of the 42,700 registered voters already have returned their ballots.
Benton County, voters can watch online the ballot processing and scanning work that elections office workers do.
Voters can track their ballot online at vote.wa.gov.
Vote early, election officials say
A theory is making the rounds in some Republican circles nationwide that could needlessly extend the process for local ballot counting.
Some Republicans say they plan to hold onto their ballots until Election Day, or that they plan on showing up to their local auditor’s office to vote in-person.
The plan, according to the Associated Press, is based on unfounded conspiracy theories that fraudsters will manipulate voting systems to rig results for Democrats once they have seen how many Republican votes have been returned early.
But there’s been no evidence to support that, the Associated Press reports.
Benton County Republicans last week, in a video posted to their Facebook page, recommended voters wait until Nov. 7 to drop their ballots off at the Benton County Voting Center, at 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Richland.
Benton County election officials said in a news release they are expecting “possible lines” at the Benton County Voting Center and that voters should plan ahead to have their ballots in early. Any voter who is in line at 8 p.m. at a ballot deposit site is allowed to deposit their vote.
Voters in Washington state can update their address, register to vote and actually vote up until 8 p.m. Election Day.
Services at the Benton County Voting Center include issuing replacement ballots, access to voters’ pamphlets, curbside service, availability of Accessible Voting Units for voters with disabilities and general questions and answers about voting.
Because Tri-Cities mail is processed in Spokane, election officials are recommending voters use one of the 11 county-certified, secure election drop boxes rather than the U.S. Postal Service this close to the election.
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
