Politics
Snohomish County says ‘Genereal’ typo on 535,000 ballot envelopes won’t affect votes
A printing error put “Genereal” instead of “General” on roughly 535,000 return envelopes for the Nov. 3 election. County election officials say ballots remain valid and are reviewing how the mistake escaped proofreading.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — About 535,000 ballot return envelopes mailed to Snohomish County voters for the Nov. 3 election contain a misspelling: “General” appears as “Genereal” in the upper-right corner. County Auditor Garth Fell says the printing error will not affect whether ballots are valid or how they are processed.
The typo does not interfere with signature verification, Fell said. The Auditor’s Office said staff checked voter names, identification numbers and barcodes before mailing the packets but did not catch the misspelling. The office has corrected the information on any ballot packets still to be sent and is reviewing its proofreading procedures.
The error has prompted some voters to question whether other ballot details or the county’s voter database could be inaccurate. Officials have not reported a problem with voter records; they said the envelope typo does not affect ballot processing.
Snohomish County mailed ballots a week earlier than in previous election cycles, citing slower delivery on some mail routes. Voters can check their ballot’s status, including whether a signature issue needs attention, at VoteWA.gov.
Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day. County officials recommend mailing ballots at least a week in advance. The county’s 38 official drop boxes are open around the clock and close at 8 p.m. Nov. 3.
Voters who have not received a ballot or need assistance can call Snohomish County Elections at 425-388-3444.