Washington State Faces Surge in Uncounted Late Ballots Amidst Federal Mail-in Ballot Disputes
Washington State experienced a significant increase in uncounted late ballots during its recent primary election, with over 20,000 ballots rejected due to late arrival, a 32% jump from 2024. This issue is attributed to changes in U.S. Postal Service (USPS) policies, including a rule stating that a mailpiece's postmark date does not necessarily align with the date of acceptance. Election officials, including Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, have raised concerns that reduced service and distant processing centers are causing delays, particularly impacting rural counties where ballot drop box access is limited. These officials are urging voters to use drop boxes or mail ballots at least a week before Election Day. The state is also engaged in litigation with the Trump administration over its mail-in ballot system, with the administration seeking tighter federal control through the Postal Service. A federal judge has temporarily blocked these federal moves, but the cas... 
