The clock is ticking for Washington County voters today as Election Day races towards the 8 p.m. deadline. As informed by Washington County election officials, registered voters have until this time to ensure their ballots are either dropped off at one of the many official drop sites, mailed via USPS, or delivered in person to the Elections Office. Detailed in a recent announcement, they accentuated the urgency for the ballots to be either postmarked by today, May 21 or handed in directly to avoid being disqualified in the counting process.

Providing convenience and following last-minute rushes, the Washington County Elections Office, located at 2925 NE Aloclek Dr in Hillsboro, will keep its doors open until the deadline. Caught in a last-minute scramble to cast their vote, registered voters in the county are encouraged to hoof it to their polling stations or the election office if they need assistance or have any queries, as stated by a report from the Elections Office.

Moving with the times, Washington County offers a modern twist on the traditional voting procedure. Voters can now sign up for alerts on the status of their ballot using BallotTrax, a service that updates via text, email, or phone. As the election office reports, the service keeps voters in the loop about when their ballot has been mailed and accepted or if an issue needs attention for no charge.

With a promise of transparency, preliminary election results are set to be released incrementally after the polls close. The first unofficial tally is expected to be publicized shortly after 8 p.m., with further updates on the Washington County voter turnout webpage. Those interested in the updates are directed to the official website and the Secretary of State’s reporting page for statewide results.

The schedule for posting results has been laid out without leaving voters in the dark. Updates will be made available on the Washington County website at specified times, starting tonight and continuing until June 14, with the official certified results slated to be accessible on June 17. The comprehensive list of official ballot drop sites is available for all and can be found at WashCoVotes.org.