King County Certifies 2020 Election; Voter Turnout Breaks Record

RENTON, WA — King County Elections officials on Tuesday certified the results of the 2020 General Election after collecting and counting ballots from a record 86.67 percent of 1.4 million registered voters.

The results were officially certified at a canvassing meeting at elections headquarters in Renton and live-streamed online.

Ballots returned by method:
Drop boxes: 73.9% (909,000 ballots)
Mail: 24.98% (307,000 ballots)
Fax: 1.1% (13,500 ballots)

While the final participation figures fall just shy of the 90 percent projection the county had aimed for, voters still broke the previous record of 85 percent set in 2012. Elections officials said about 10,000 ballots were rejected for unresolved signature issues and just 707 were returned past the deadline.

"This election is a testament to the effectiveness of our vote-by-mail system in carrying out the will of the people — even during a global pandemic," said Julie Wise, director of King County Elections. "None of this is possible without the hundreds of Elections' staff working around the clock to process and count every single ballot, and of course, the King County voters who showed up and made their voices heard."

Wise said elections staff has worked to increase access to voting since the 2016 election, looking to boost convenient options, especially in underserved communities. Four years ago, the county had just 10 drop boxes. In 2020, voters had 73 to choose from, and more than 96 percent live within three miles of one.

Another big shift, officials said, was in early voting, with a record 244,000 ballots returned within the first five days of the voting period.

One loose end remains in Washington's 5th Legislative District, which includes Carnation, Issaquah, Renton, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Maple Valley and Black Diamond.

By certification day, incumbent Democratic state Sen. Mark Mullet led progressive challenger Ingrid Anderson by just 57 votes, triggering a mandatory hand recount.

"The recount will take place at our headquarters in Renton and will be open to observers from both major political parties and campaigns," Wise said. "We'll begin the recount in December and expect it to take about two weeks to count the estimated 100,00 ballots."

2020 election resources:

• King County final results & reconciliation report
• Statewide election results
• Washington ballot return statistics