October 15, 2020
With election ballots in the mail this week I thought a few reminders about voting would be helpful.
Did you know…
Election Laws:
- Election laws date back to Article 1 of the Constitution.
- The 15th amendment in 1870 gave African American Men the right to vote.
- The 19th amendment in 1920 gave American Women the right to vote
- The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited voter discrimination based on race, color or language.
- The Voting Accessibility Act of 1984 required polling places to be accessible.
Who can vote:
- Age 18;
- A U.S. Citizen;
- A Resident of Washington; and
- Not under Corrections supervision for a Washington felony conviction.
Make your voting voice heard this year. In a year of a presidential election, voting is an important right and responsibility as a citizen. The Voters Pamphlet arrived last week and the ballots this week, therefore we should all be ready to fill them out and get them in mail (No postage required) quickly (Per advice from the Post Office and The Secretary of State).
I learned a few things:
If you haven’t registered to vote yet you can still do this in person up to 8 p.m. on November 3rd. Yes, really! Call 360-740-1164 for hours to register at 351 NW North St., in Chehalis.
If you need help filling out the ballot it is legal to ask someone you trust. The law says as long as you express your choices, then your helper is legally bound to complete the ballot as directed.
You can mail your ballot or instead choose to drop off your ballot at an official drop box until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3rd. Locations of these boxes are at the link: Lewis County Ballot Box Locations
There are some myths and rumors flying around about voting this year. HERE is a good Question and Answer sheet published by the county. This is a good reference to clarify or counter what you might be seeing on social media.
If you need help with filling out your ballot or getting it returned, please call Cindy Mund at 360-789-2167. You will make the selections and Cindy will get you help in filling out the form and/or getting the ballot returned. You could alternatively email Cindy at [email protected], for assistance.
Once you vote you can check the status of your ballot by going to VoteWA.gov to see that your ballot is counted. Washington is one of 46 states that counts ballots prior to the election. (Four states only count on the day of the election) The sooner we get our ballots in the better for everyone (especially for those Lewis County poll workers doing the counting!)
