Ballots are in the mail for the August Primary Election

Charlie at the ballot drop box at Lake Forest Park Town Hall
Photo by Gordon Snyder

King County Elections (KCE) mailed ballots to over 1.4 million registered voters today, marking the start of the August Primary voting period. Election Day is Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

Voters will receive their ballots in the coming days and should have them by Monday, July 20. If they don’t see their ballot by then, voters should call KCE at 206-296-VOTE (8683).

Official ballot drop boxes are the best and fastest way for voters to return their ballot directly to KCE. Those who vote within a week of Election Day, or on Election Day itself, should make a plan to use a ballot drop box to ensure their ballot is on-time to be counted.

Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day. USPS recommends mailing your ballot at least one week before Election Day.

In recent months, KCE has added six new drop box locations, including at the Central Library in downtown Seattle, Northgate Library in Seattle, Kent-Kangley Safeway in Kent, on the Bellevue College and Green River College campuses, and in front of the Skykomish Community Center.

“I want to see every single voter in King County make their voice heard in this August Primary. As vote-by-mail continues to be under attack, there is no better way to show up for democracy than to turn out to vote,” stated King County Director of Elections Julie Wise.

“We have been planning and preparing for months for both the Primary and General Elections, and we are ready to help our voters every step of the way. Whether it’s expanding in-person service or access to drop boxes, or improving election security, Elections is doing the hard work to make democracy happen.

"Now, it’s our voters’ turn. Vote early. Use a drop box. Make your vote count.”

The deadline to register to vote online in the August Primary is July 27. After that, voters can register in-person at a Vote Center or Accessible Voting Event through 8 p.m. on Election Day.

All voters are strongly encouraged to vote early in this year’s elections, and to track their ballot until it’s counted. Voting early not only ensures that the ballot is on-time to be counted but also helps KCE post more robust election results on Election Night and in the days following.