King County Elections reported that 92 ballots for the upcoming midterm election were found among discarded mail in a dumpster at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle.
After a voter reported the discovery, election staff found two bins of mail containing the ballots. The incident was reported to the U.S. Postal Service for investigation, and replacement ballots have been issued to all affected voters.
King County Elections Chief of Staff Kendall Hodson said mail theft occurs throughout the year and that ballots are typically not the target. She also noted that election officials verify voter signatures and check that a ballot has not already been returned before accepting it.
Voters who have not received their ballots can contact King County Elections at 206-296-8683 for assistance. Anyone who finds improperly discarded ballots is encouraged to report the discovery by emailing [email protected] or calling 206-296-VOTE.
