Washington State Holds Midterms Amid Federal Voter Disputes

Washington state held its 2026 midterm elections on November 3, with voters required to submit ballots by 8 p.m. via 57 voting centers or 573 official drop boxes. Early participation was strong, with nearly 1.7 million registered voters casting ballots ahead of Election Day, a 32.8% return rate that slightly exceeded 2022 midterm turnout. Election officials urged the use of drop boxes over the postal service to avoid delays that affected over 20,000 ballots during the August primary.

The election process was marked by significant conflict between state leadership and the Trump administration. The United States Department of Justice dispatched monitors to King and Yakima counties and alleged that 400 noncitizens were on state voter rolls. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd accused the state of knowingly sending ballots to noncitizens.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs dismissed the federal claims, arguing that complying with demands to set aside ballots without proof of wrongdoing would be illegal. In response to the charged atmosphere, Governor Bob Ferguson deployed the Washington National Guard as an unarmed Election Neighborhood Watch across seven counties to ensure security at voting locations.