| OLYMPIA — On Friday, Oct. 31, the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) identified that automatic voter registrations (AVR) were not processed in Ferry and Stevens counties between July 16, 2024, and Oct. 31, 2025. An AVR is submitted automatically when a person applying for state government services provides proof of citizenship. However, each application still requires county election administrator review. The processing error affected 6,783 total applicants. While many of these belonged to currently registered voters, 924 eligible voters with unprocessed applications may still be unregistered. After receiving a concern from a voter, the OSOS Elections Division audited voter registrations received from the Department of Licensing (DOL) to find the backlog of AVRs in both counties due to an administrative error. This issue has been resolved and both counties are processing AVRs. OSOS is working with county elections partners to ensure this administrative error is avoided in the future. The OSOS recommends that voters who have not received their ballot visit their county elections office. Voters can obtain a replacement ballot or register to vote in person at their county elections office until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Voters may confirm their voter registration status at any time at VoteWA.gov. |
| Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees areas within state government including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Secretary of State oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime and the Civic Engagement Program to increase governmental trust and participation for all Washingtonians. |
| ### |