Election 2011 ballots due by Nov. 8

Published 12:03 pm Friday, November 4, 2011

Washington’s 2011 ballot-return deadline is fast approaching.

This Tuesday is the deadline to have a ballot postmarked or returned to an official ballot drop-off site.

Secretary of State Sam Reed is predicting a 47-percent ballot return, with roughly half of those to be processed and reported by the counties on election night.  Other ballots will be in the courthouse, but not yet processed, and others will still be in the mail — including those from military and overseas voters.

Returns will be available starting after 8 p.m. Tuesday, and will be updated instantly as counties report in their results. Most counties, including King, will report only once on election night. Visit www.vote.wa.gov for information.

There are 3.66 million registered voters in Washington.  This is the first statewide general election run entirely by mail, since the last of the 39 counties, Pierce, made the switch to vote-by-mail this year.