Election Officials: Puyallup Voters Should Mail Ballot By Friday

PUYALLUP, WA — There are just a few days left until the Nov. 3 election, and while many will be waiting until the last minute to cast their ballots, officials recommend that anyone mailing in their ballot should mail it out by Friday at the latest.

All ballots that are postmarked by election day will be counted, even if those ballots are received by election officials after the Nov. 3 deadline. But just because a ballot has been mailed out, doesn't mean it will immediately be registered and postmarked, and as a result Washington election officials are urging voters who are voting by mail to have their ballots in the mail by Friday at the very latest to ensure their vote gets counted.

Related: Election 2020 Voter Guide: What's On My Ballot In Pierce County?

"If you’re going to send by mail, we recommend dropping your ballot in the mail by THIS Friday, the Friday before Election Day, to make sure it gets postmarked in time to be counted," writes King County Elections. "Your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day."

King County's message is echoed by the Pierce County Auditor's Office, who are also encouraging voters who have not cast their ballots to consider doing so at one of the county's many ballot drop boxes.

There are several drop boxes in Puyallup, and below you can find a map of all 46 drop boxes in Pierce County.

For those who want to cast their vote the old-fashioned way in person, there is one polling location in Pierce County: the Pierce County Election Center at 2501 S 35th St, Suite C, Tacoma.

While there is still time left to send your ballot safely by mail, election officials ask voters to consider using a drop box regardless. 95 percent of registered voters in Pierce County live within two miles of a drop box. Drop boxes are also open 24 hours a day until the 8 p.m. Nov. 3 deadline, and are collected at least every 48 hours, with some boxes being emptied multiple times a day. In Pierce County, two employees must be present at all times for ballot collection, and all ballots are transported directly to the election center in sealed containers, ensuring that your vote is secure.

But even if you are voting by mail, the bottom line is: cast your vote sooner, rather than later.

"Although November the third is Election Day, I call that an election deadline," Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson said. "You've got 18 days to vote, vote as early as you can. We don't want to rush anybody, but based on my conversations and word on the street, people have pretty much made up their minds, so there's no advantage to delay and it only hampers the election process."

Read More: Pierce County Ballots Mailed: Here's What To Know For 2020