Why ballots are rejected in Washington state and how to make sure yours counts

Around 1% of Washingtonians' ballots are rejected every election. It’s more likely to happen to specific groups, including people of color, younger voters, and rural voters, according to a new report by the University of Washington’s Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative project.

Researchers studied why those ballots are being rejected and have offered ideas to voters and elections officials about how to make improvements.

The most common reason ballots get rejected is that they're turned in too late. Ballots need to be postmarked or placed in a ballot drop box before 8 p.m. on Election Day. Authors of the recent study recommend getting it in as early as possible, which many voters are increasingly reluctant to do, waiting until Election Day to vote.

Other times, there are problems with a voter's signature, which is how ballots are verified in Washington state. Some people simply fail to sign their ballot altogether, or their signature doesn’t match the one their county elections office has on file.

“We found that most people don't even know what signature is being used to compare on their ballot or really why they should sign at all,” said Cali Jahn, a co-author of the new report.

The report recommends voters make sure their ballot signature matches the one on their driver's license, because most people register to vote when they get licensed. If not, use the one that you used when you registered to vote.

If your signature doesn't match, elections staff will try to contact you to resolve the problem, but that process can take time — another reason to get your ballot in ASAP.

“In terms of getting their voices heard, it is incredibly important for voters of color, younger voters, voters in rural areas to make sure that they are signing their ballot accurately and turning it in early. That way they can correct it should there be an issue,” Jahn said.

The report authors also offer advice for elections officials on how to make it easier for voters, including redesigning the ballot envelope.

“I think we have some great design recommendations in there, working alongside the Center for Civic Design, to improve the number of signatures that we get and the accuracy of those signatures," Jahn said.