Here in the United States, it’s election season. Given that this year’s election is conveniently scheduled during a pandemic, there has been a lot of discussion about how, and whether, people will be able to vote.
Even though the election will bestow the Presidency of the country on the lucky (or unlucky, depending on your perspective) candidate, each state sets it’s own rules for voting. Our last full-time address in the US was in Washington, so we are still registered to vote there.
Angie hard at work getting the completed ballots into envelopes and attaching the free postage labels
Washington makes it exceptionally easy for anyone registered to vote to cast their ballot – just like the rest of the west coast states, all elections are handled nearly 100% by mail. All registered voters receive ballots in the mail, make their selections, and mail the ballots back. It’s easy and practical, and after voting this way for the past 20 years it’s hard to imagine actually voyaging to a polling place to cast a ballot in person.
Since we spend most of our time outside the US, we’re actually in a special category of Washingtonians, and the state makes it even easier for us. We receive our ballots electronically – we just get an email with a QR code. We simply print the ballot, make our selections and sign the ballot, and then we can either mail it back (they include a postage paid airmail label!) or simply take pictures of the ballot and email it back.
Off they go!
After voting by mail in every election for the past 20+ years, we thought that was the easiest way to vote. But our experience this year was even better!
