Snohomish County reassures voters after typo found on election ballot envelopes

EVERETT, Wash. - As thousands of mail-in ballots arrive in mailboxes across Snohomish County, local election officials are reassuring voters after a printing mistake was spotted on ballot return envelopes for the November 3 General Election.

Community members over the weekend noticed that the word "General" was misspelled on the upper corner of the return envelope, printed instead as "Genereal."

What they're saying:

"It’s certainly frustrating that there is a typo on the return envelope," said Snohomish County Auditor Garth Fell. "We’ve had a few calls, and we’ve certainly seen a few people on social media comment about it."

Fell confirmed the typo was a printing error that occurred during the variable data spraying process just prior to envelope insertion. Despite the misspelling, Fell and the Snohomish County Auditor's Office stressed that all issued ballots remain completely valid.

"We want to reassure voters that the typo doesn’t have any impact on the validity of the ballot that we mailed to them," Fell said. "They can send that back, and it will be accepted and counted just like any other ballot."

The Auditor’s Office has already corrected the printing data for any remaining ballot packets left to be mailed and is correcting its proofreading procedures to prevent similar errors in future election cycles.

Turnout and early mailing

Big picture view:

More than 6,000 ballots have already been returned in Snohomish County, as voters take advantage of an expanded voting window.

"It’s encouraging to see that people are participating right now," said Fell. "People are sharing information about the election and trying to get people to participate and be able to do that accurately and effectively."

To give residents extra time to review their choices and submit their votes, the county mailed out ballot packets a week earlier than in previous election cycles. The decision was made after observing postal delivery route changes in recent years that slowed mail delivery.

"We wanted to make sure that voters had plenty of time to receive their ballot and consider all the important races," Fell noted. "It’ll be interesting to see how the returns come in with that extra time."

For 80-year-old voter Steve Probstfeld, returning his ballot early to an official drop box was a top priority.

"It’s a privilege we all have and we should never neglect it or ignore it," Probstfeld said, adding that he didn't let the minor envelope typo bother him. "I don’t think a typo should be restrictive."

How ballots are processed and tracked

What To Know:

Once returned, every ballot goes through a multi-step verification process:

1. Inbound Scan: The envelope is scanned upon arrival to mark it as received from the voter.
2. Signature Verification: Staff verify the signature on the return envelope matches the signature on file in official voter registration records.
3. Counting: Once verified, the ballot is removed from the envelope and processed for tabulation.

Voters can track their ballot in real time by logging onto VoteWA.gov or by signing up for text alerts. The portal on VoteWA.gov displays when a ballot was mailed, when it was received by the county, and whether there are any signature issues that need to be resolved.

Key dates and voting deadlines

Timeline:

With an average turnout expected around 65%, election officials encourage voters to act early:

• October 26: Deadline to register to vote or update registration info online or by mail.
• 4 days before Election Day: The Snohomish County Auditor's Office will open four in-person voter registration sites in Lynnwood, Smokey Point, and Monroe to assist last-minute voters.
• November 3 (Election Day):By Mail: Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day. If returning by mail, officials recommend sending your ballot at least one week early.By Drop Box: All 38 official ballot drop boxes across Snohomish County are open 24/7 and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.In Person: Eligible residents can register to vote and cast a ballot in person up until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
• By Mail: Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day. If returning by mail, officials recommend sending your ballot at least one week early.
• By Drop Box: All 38 official ballot drop boxes across Snohomish County are open 24/7 and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
• In Person: Eligible residents can register to vote and cast a ballot in person up until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

"There are lots of important races on the ballot," said Fell.

If your ballot has not arrived in the mail, or if you need assistance, contact Snohomish County Elections at (425) 388-3444 or visit VoteWA.gov.

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