More Clallam County Ballots Rejected Over Late Postmarks
State election data released by Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell show that 279 Clallam County ballots were rejected for late postmarks during the August primary, compared with 102 in 2024.
By R.E. Carlino, The Sequim Post
With Washington's November 3 general election approaching, state election officials are urging voters to return their ballots early following an increase in mail ballots rejected for late postmarks during the August primary.
In Clallam County, 279 ballots were rejected for late postmarks in the August 2026 primary, compared with 102 during the 2024 primary, according to county-level figures released by Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.
The rejection rate among ballots returned by mail increased from 1.25% in 2024 to 4.58% in 2026, even as the number of mailed ballots declined.
Statewide, 20,267 ballots were rejected because of late postmarks in the August 2026 primary, compared with 16,131 in 2024—an increase of approximately 26%.
Hobbs and Cantwell released their findings September 2, raising concerns about changes in U.S. Postal Service transportation and processing operations that can result in mail receiving a postmark later than the day it was deposited.
Under Washington law, mailed ballots generally must be postmarked no later than Election Day to be counted.
The Postal Service acknowledged in an October 20 statement that transportation changes mean some mail does not reach processing facilities on the day it is collected. Because postmarks are generally applied at those facilities, the postmark date may differ from the date a voter mailed a ballot.
USPS said its postmarking practices have not changed and that it is taking additional measures to expedite election mail. Those measures are scheduled to begin October 24.
The statewide figures do not establish how many Clallam County voters mailed their ballots on time but received late postmarks, or whether postal delays explain every rejected ballot.
How to make sure your ballot is counted
The Office of the Secretary of State strongly encouraged voters to return their ballot using an official ballot drop box. For voters returning their ballots by mail, it is recommended that they do so more than a week before Election Day. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day to be considered on time.
Clallam County has eight outdoor ballot drop boxes at seven locations including one in Sequim, and in Carlsborg, plus an indoor drop box at the county courthouse in Port Angeles. Click here for the complete list of locations.
Drop boxes remain open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3.
Voters who choose to mail their ballots can request a hand-applied postmark at a Postal Service retail counter. USPS said, "Voters can ensure that their completed ballot-return envelope receives a postmark, and that the date on the postmark aligns with the date of mailing, by bringing the ballot to a Postal Service retail location and requesting a manual postmark at the retail counter when dropping it off. Manual postmarks are applied free of charge."
Voters can also check whether their ballot has been received and accepted through VoteWA.gov.
Sources: Washington Secretary of State election data; September 2, 2026, report released by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Sen. Maria Cantwell; U.S. Postal Service statement dated October 20, 2026.⬥
