Editor’s note: Lori Larsen, Steven County Auditor, and Pend Orielle County Auditor Marianne Nichols wrote this column, inspired by an inquiry from a Washington voter curious about the origins, security, and integrity of Washington State’s vote-at-home system. It was co-signed by an additional 23 elected county auditors from across the state, including Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer. The Pierce County Auditor is a nonpartisan elected official.
As county auditors in Washington State, we serve in the executive branch of local government and are responsible for administering elections in accordance with state and federal law. That includes elections for local, state, and federal offices.
The U.S. Constitution grants the states the authority to conduct federal elections, and Congress sets certain minimum standards. Here in Washington, our Legislature has determined that vote-at-home is the official method of conducting elections — and that’s not just the law, it’s a system that works…