What happens after Election Day? Here's how votes are counted in King County, WA

SEATTLE - As the final ballot drop box closes at 8 p.m. on Election Day, the race to finalize results in King County has only just begun, initiating a weeks-long process of verification, security, and careful tabulation mandated by Washington state law.

Initial, unofficial results are posted shortly after polls close, reflecting ballots that have been successfully processed prior to and on Election Day. However, the official results often take three weeks to finalize, with daily updates posted around 4 p.m. on weekdays until certification.

The process is designed to guarantee the security and privacy of the vote, revolving around a key legal requirement: signature verification.

Ballot deadline approaches as turnout climbs across King County, WA

With ballots due by 8 p.m. tonight, election officials across King County are urging voters to use one of 85 ballot drop boxes to ensure their votes are counted. Turnout stands at 22% so far, with officials expecting about 45% participation in this off-year election featuring key local races from Renton to Seattle.

Security and signature verification

Every ballot returned by mail or to a drop box must pass a check against the voter's signature on file. Elections staff, who are responsible for this task, receive specialized training.

According to King County Elections, staff members who examine the signatures are specially trained by the Washington State Patrol Fraud Unit, which serves as the state authority on signature verification. This training is mandatory for both elections staff and members of the Canvassing Board, the three-person committee responsible for certifying the results.

If the signature on the return envelope does not match the record, the ballot is "challenged." The voter is immediately notified by mail, phone, or email and given until the day before certification to "cure" or fix the issue.

After verification, the ballot proceeds through a two-step separation process that ensures voter privacy. The signed return envelope is separated from the inner security envelope, and then the ballot itself is removed.

The final count

Once separated, ballots are scanned and recorded. They are stored within a tabulation server system secured in a room with biometric-controlled access. This system is "air-gapped," meaning it is not connected to the internet or outside networks.

Any ballot that is damaged, has stray marks, or has unclear voter intent is reviewed by a two-person bipartisan team using the state's Voter Intent Manual. This process of scanning and counting continues daily after Election Day.

King County Elections officials emphasize the need for patience as the final votes are tallied.

"Scanning and counting continue daily until all eligible votes are counted and the election is certified," according to King County Elections.

The full, official count is made final when the Canvassing Board certifies the election. For the November General Election, that date is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.

Following certification, state law dictates that an automatic machine recount must occur in non-statewide contests if the margin between the top two candidates is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total votes cast for those two candidates.

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