Environmental Champion,

As Washingtonians, we know that to keep our democracy strong, we must exercise our right to vote if we are eligible to do so. We are also fortunate to have been voting by mail since 2011 and we know that putting our ballots in the mail or a designated dropbox are both safe and secure ways to vote. 

Just like you, we have been following the news of the United States Postal Service reducing services, and the false claims that casting your vote by mail could lead to voter fraud and less security for your vote. We know that with all the information circling, many of you are likely concerned about casting your vote in the November General Election. Here are a few things we know that will hopefully put your mind at ease as you prepare to vote:

1. The USPS plays a vital role in our community delivering important services to Washingtonians and we stand with USPS workers who are doing their best to get ballots postmarked for all voters in Washington state in time for the November 3rd General Election. 
2. Either voting by mail or dropbox are both safe and secure ways to have your vote counted. The best thing you can do to ensure your ballot is counted after returning it is use your voter portal to track the status of your ballot. 
3. Voting earlier is always better! Washingtonians have almost 3 weeks to cast their ballots and voting early not only gives you more time to troubleshoot if there is an issue with your ballot, it also means that campaigns and entities that encourage people to vote will spend less resources ensuring your vote counts. 
4. Your County Elections Department will be able to give you the most up to date information and recommendations on ensuring your ballot counts. You can look up your County Elections Department here and check out their website or contact them if you have concerns about your vote counting. 
5. We must vote for leaders like Gael Tarleton for Washington Secretary of State who will ensure we expand access to voting and preserve the ability to vote safely and securely. 

Stay safe and remember to vote early and track your ballot to ensure it is counted for the November 3rd General Election.

Onward,

Emily Krieger
Civic Engagement Manager