Ballots with insufficient postage will still be counted

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

EVERETT — A divided Snohomish County Council on Wednesday urged the county auditor to let voters know that their ballots will be counted this fall — whether or not they’re mailed with enough postage.

Decision 2016 is especially weighty in Snohomish County. Ballots packed full of citizen initiatives and federal, state and local contests will be larger and heavier than usual. As a result, they’ll require 68 cents in postage. That’s 21 cents more than a first-class stamp, currently 47 cents.

Historically in Washington, the U.S. Postal Service has delivered ballots, including those with insufficient postage, to county election offices.

Because many voters don’t know that, County Councilman Hans Dunshee led the effort to get County Auditor Carolyn Weikel to advertise the fact more widely.

“Voting in a free country ought to be free,” Dunshee said.

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/ballots-with-insufficient-postage-will-still-be-counted/

[uppityperson]

1. As they should. I wish they'd be prepaid so people wouldn't worry about it.

[Travis_0004]

2. I would tend to agree

The downside is prepaid mail is always sent business class, not first class, which is a bit slower to be delivered, and has other downsides. So although any state can implement postage free mail, then can not also make it first class.

The federal government or the post office would have to get involved. In this day, its certainly possible to have prepaid mail delivered first class, but you would need the help of the post office.