Voter registration snafu will delay some ballots

More than 1,100 Clark County residents waiting for their ballots may not receive them in time for Tuesday’s election.

Beginning in August, the Washington State Department of Licensing allowed people who changed their driver’s license address on the DOL website to update their voter registration information at the same time.

The problem: Clark County election officials never received the changes.

That means election officials mailed ballots to the old addresses of 1,140 Clark County residents. Statewide about 21,000 people were affected. Ballots are not forwarded to new addresses by the U.S. Postal Service.

“There’s a strong likelihood that a voter at one of those addresses did not receive their ballot,” said Tim Likness, county election supervisor.

Clark County officials learned of the snafu and received a list of affected residents on Saturday, Likness said. Election department staff spent the day preparing and mailing letters or replacement ballots to those voters, he said.

Anyone who is expecting a ballot but has yet to receive one is encouraged to call or visit the Clark County election department Monday or Tuesday.

The elections office, 408 Franklin Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The elections office phone number is 360-397-2345.

Ballots must be postmarked or returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday.