Backstory:
Q: Why is this happening?
Washington uses a vote-by-mail primary to choose the Presidential nominees for the two major political parties. And as required by the Powers That Be to ensure that, for example, Trump voters don't try to meddle in the Democratic Primary, voters MUST choose one choice in the Party Declaration box for their vote to be counted:
However, many voters — nearly 100,000 voters by the end of it — either had trouble, or wanted to defy this requirement back in 2020 when this problem debuted. And, absent any mitigating measures, 2024 has arrived, and we've got a bunch of ballots that might be fucked up, so here we go again.
How to use Did I fuck up my ballot?:
Enter your first and last name above, then tap 'Find My Ballot →' We tried to give you the clearest answer possible in the last column.
Q: Dang, looks like I fucked up my ballot. What do I do?
There's hope — it's fixable:
- You should receive a form in the mail ( and possibly, a phone call ) with instructions on how to correct ( aka “cure” ) your ballot so it can be counted.
- If you haven't received it, you can contact your county elections office to inquire about your cure form and/or your ballot.
- You can also download and print the form to fill it out yourself. ( También disponible en español )
Q: What do 'Not Yet' and 'Received' mean?
That's normal. It means your ballot has been returned, but it still needs to be processed, which will determine whether it's 'Accepted' or 'Rejected'. Check back in a few days.
Q: What if I couldn't find my ballot record?
Our data is updated daily as soon as it's available, but it's always a snapshot in time ( whereas, the process itself continues on in real time ). Most likely, it means your ballot has not been received or processed yet, so try again in a few days. Also, make sure your search matches your name on your voter registration record; look for typos, or try searching for 'Robert' instead of 'Bob,' for example.
Just the facts:
- Ballots are due back by March 12th at 8pm.
- You MUST pick one party and sign your envelope to have your ballot counted.
- 17 year olds, who will be 18 by the General Election, ARE allowed to participate in this year's Presidential Primary — a change from 2020 :)
Voting resource roundup:
- Ballot cure form | español
- Find a ballot drop box, or register to vote.
- Presidential Primary FAQs
- Contact your county elections office
What you can do if you're upset:
Q: Hey woah, why is my information public?
Per Revised Code of Washington, it's public information. Campaigns use this information to contact you, to encourage you to vote, or to help you cure your ballot, or, for “any political purpose.”
Q: I don't like something about this process.
So, two possible avenues for recourse here:
- WA Democrats lead the charge on adopting this new primary system. You may contact them with your feedback.
- Your state legislators wrote the rules that dictate much of how this works. You might reach out to them with your thoughts on the matter.