Voters in Clark County should be prepared to see an extra layer of scrutiny applied to their ballots this November. As outlined in a notice from the County Elections Office, a manual comparison of around 600 random ballots against machine tabulations is scheduled to take place. This process, set to begin at 9 am on Wednesday, Nov. 5, aims to ensure accuracy in how votes are counted. "Elections officials will perform an audit of approximately 600 ballots randomly selected as part of a manual comparison against machine results," according to the county website.
This isn't the sole action being taken to verify the integrity of the election process. The County Elections Office has further plans to thoroughly cross-check the election results via a statewide random ballot audit, slated to kick off on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 19. This second audit involves random selections again to manually compare ballots with the figures reported by the voting system. These steps are part of rigorous protocols to reassure the electoral process's reliability and transparency.
For Clark County residents still needing to register or update their registration, there's a window that remains open until 8 pm on Election Day, Nov. 4 – but be mindful, any such changes must be made in person at the Elections Office situated at 1408 Franklin St. Should a voter find themselves without their ballot, the Elections Office is reachable either by phone at 564.397.2345 or through email at [email protected] to provide assistance.
Alternatively, registered voters may simply download a replacement ballot. By visiting VoteWA.gov and signing in with one's name and date of birth, a replacement can swiftly be accessed by clicking “Download Replacement Ballot Packet.” Voters need to bear in mind that the ballot must be printed alongside the declaration sheet and returned as per the instructions. The Elections Office has a schedule that runs from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, broadening its operating hours on Election Day from 7 am to 8 pm to accommodate the increased activity.
