Washington Midterm Early Voting Hits 23.2 Percent Return Rate
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs reports 1.2 million ballots returned as officials warn voters about postal delays and signature mismatches.
More than 1.2 million registered voters in Washington have returned their midterm ballots as of October 28, 2026. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs reported a 23.2% return rate, a slight increase from the 22.3% recorded during the 2022 midterms. Data shows a preference for drop boxes, which accounted for 68% of submissions compared to 31.1% via mail.
Early voting demographics skew older, with 44% of voters aged 65 and older casting ballots, while only 8% of those aged 18 to 24 have done so. However, regional disparities exist. Grant County recorded the lowest early turnout in the state at 8.89%, while Stevens County saw the highest rate of challenged ballots at 1.8%.
Election officials are urging voters to use drop boxes or request hand stamps at post offices to avoid United States Postal Service delays that could invalidate votes. Grant County Commissioner Cindy Carter noted that the USPS does not always stamp mail on the day of receipt. Commissioner Kevin Burdess warned that late arrivals without timely postmarks risk rejection and noted that signature mismatches led to uncounted votes in previous primaries. The auditor's office intends to contact voters to resolve such discrepancies.
