Our Elections Division has long prided itself on helping ensure that our state’s military and overseas voters have access to voting and are not disenfranchised. So we are pleased about the recent news from the Federal Voting Assistance Program that Washington has the lowest ballot rejection rates in the nation for military and overseas voters.

The FVAP reports that Washington has a 2 percent rejection rate for these voters, whereas the national average is 6 percent. Some counties in the U.S. are as high as 30 percent.

Representatives from FVAP and the Council of State Governments are visiting King County and Pierce County this week to identify the best practices in Washington that contribute to our success, with the intent of sharing those ideas across the nation.

State Elections Director Lori Augino:

“I’m pleased, and frankly not surprised, that Washington has the lowest rejection rate in the country. We are proud of our military and overseas voters, and work hard to ensure they have every opportunity to participate in each election. From advocating for laws that enable participation to ensuring best practices are shared across the state, Washington has a culture of supporting our military and overseas voters.”