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Voting Process: What to expect post-election FAQ:

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The right to vote is the foundation of a healthy democracy, and a critical way to make sure eligible voters can make their voice heard for a healthy, livable, & equitable future. Democracy begins at the state & local level. 

The vast majority of Americans support bold climate action—but w/o protecting the freedom to vote at the state & local levels, it’s hard to make this vision a reality. We must keep fighting to keep elections fair and accessible.

Q: When and where can I find election results?

A: Results can be found at that website (vote.wa.gov) at 8PM on November 8th. Results are updated each day following Election Day when a county reports new tabulation results. Keep in mind the results posted before certification are unofficial.

Q: Will we know the final results of the election on Election Day?

A: Because Washington uses mail-in-ballots that are postmarked until November 8th, there are additional ballots to be counted throughout the week. Expect to not know the final results for several days after the election. Counting votes accurately takes time. The results on Election Night change as votes get counted. 

Q: Are election results final on Tuesday, November 8?

No. The count of votes on election day is only a partial count of all the votes to be tabulated. Mailed absentee ballots from active-duty military, students, and other residents that are postmarked by November 8th are still counted as they are received in the days following Election Day, as well as those ballots submitted in dropboxes/or postmarked by 8pm on Tuesday. General Election results are certified by counties 21 days after the election, and by the Secretary of State after 30 days after the election.

Q: Is voter fraud common?

A: Voter fraud is exceedingly rare and voting by mail or drop box is safe and secure, according to AP, Reuters and the Cybersecuirty & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The benefit of Washington’s paper ballots is that they can be audited and recounted as many times as necessary. They are a durable, tamper-evident hard copy of a voter’s choices. After a ballot is received, the signature is compared to the signature on the voter registration file and then scanned for tabulation. Election ballot scanners are physically secured in locked rooms and are not connected to any network or internet.  

Q: How long has Washington State had Vote-by-Mail (VBM) elections?

A:  Washington was a pioneer of VBM, first rolling it out in 1983 and then switched fully to a statewide VBM system in 2011. Eligible voters receive ballots in their mail up to 18 days before the election.

Q: What is voter intimidation?

A: The Federal Government says no person … shall intimidate, threaten, coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of [that] person to vote or to vote as he may choose.” If someone is attempting to interfere with yours or anyone’s right to vote or access a ballot box  please call the Election Protection Hotline: 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)

Learn more about the Vote by Mail and election process here: Securing Your Vote – Elections & Voting – WA Secretary of State

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Announcing first round of WCA’s 2025 Endorsements

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  • Civic Engagement
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A bright spot: environmental wins in the 2025 legislative session

At the start of 2025, state lawmakers faced roughly a $16 billion budget shortfall. So, we knew this would be a difficult legislative session. But, in the end, the results for people and nature were full of positive victories.  Washington continues to make progress and lead on environmental policy, despite the headwinds at the federal level.

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  • Environmental Priorities Coalition
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EPC Defends CCA Dollars, Passes Key 2025 Coalition Priorities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – APRIL 27, 2024Media Contacts:Zachary Pullin, Communications Director, EPC, 206-639-3760 Environmental Priorities Coalition, Powerful Statewide Enviro Coalition Defends CCA Dollars, Advances Key Priority Bills including major extended producer responsibility for recycling OLYMPIA, WA—Last night, the 2025 Washington legislative session officially ended. Washington’s Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC) celebrates its legislative and budget victories:...

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We are honored to live and work on the traditional and ancestral lands of the Nations whose current lands we call Washington. We recognize that borders are artificial—many tribal nations from the North, the South, and the East of present-day Washington also have historical and current ties to these lands.

We express our gratitude as guests and thank the original and current stewards of this land. What we experience today is a product of these nations’ ancestors’ ability to be in relationship with the natural world. We would not be here without their guardianship and connection to the earth.

We also acknowledge Black and African labor on which this country built its prosperity—we honor you.

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