Thousands of mail-in ballots found near dumpster in Washington state raise concerns about security

By THE ALASKA STORY

April 17, 2026 – In an incident that may serve as a warning to Alaska lawmakers, Washington state election officials are facing troubling news after a cache of undelivered ballots spanning multiple election cycles was discovered discarded near a dumpster behind a strip mall in Renton. Washington has an all-mail voting system, and the finding raises concerns about proposed changes in Alaska with Senate Bill 64, which enables even more mail-in ballots by prepaying the postage for voters.

Washington Republican Party Chairman Jim Walsh went public Thursday with details of the discovery, which he said was made by a concerned citizen who stumbled upon a box filled with hundreds of unopened ballots behind a strip mall in Renton.

According to Walsh, the ballots dated from 2022 through 2025 and had neither been delivered to voters nor returned to King County Elections, as required under Washington’s vote-by-mail system.

In a video posted online, Walsh said the man who found the ballots, described as a resident of Othello with no strong political affiliation, initially attempted to alert authorities. Calls to King County Elections, the office of Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, and a congressional office reportedly went unanswered before the individual contacted Walsh.

“He looked in the box, saw it was ballots… and realized there was something wrong,” Walsh said. “All these ballots were just sitting there in a box on the ground next to a dumpster.”

Walsh argued the incident highlights what critics have long described as weaknesses in the chain of custody for mail-in ballots. Under Washington’s system, ballots are mailed to registered voters and are supposed to either be completed and returned or sent back to election officials if undeliverable.

“This is proof that in Washington State, we need to do better to improve the security and integrity of our mail-in voting system,” Walsh said. “That didn’t happen here.”

The discovery comes as debates over election systems intensify beyond Washington’s borders, including in Alaska, where lawmakers are advancing Senate Bill 64, a destructive elections bill that expands aspects of the state’s voting infrastructure.

SB 64: The Ranked-Choice Voting Protection Act Alaska didn’t ask for deserves a veto

SB 64 moves Alaska closer to systems like Washington’s by increasing reliance on absentee-style processes, extending ballot curing timelines, and broadening voter identification options. Supporters say the bill modernizes elections and improves access, particularly in rural areas.

Senate Bill 64 requires the state to provide prepaid return postage for absentee ballots, eliminating the need for voters to cover mailing costs. It creates a formal “ballot curing” process allowing voters to fix minor errors after submission rather than having their votes discarded, but there is no signature verification attached to the curing process.

Pam Melin: We don’t need a ‘bigger’ election system. We need an honest one and SB 64 isn’t honest.

The bill introduces a permanent absentee voting option, enabling eligible voters to automatically receive ballots for future elections without reapplying each cycle. It removes the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots.

Additionally, SB 64 extends the window for counting mailed ballots to 10 days after Election Day, and longer for overseas and military voters.

Alaska Democrats celebrate controversial election bill, SB 64, and are using it to raise money

The measure also adds rural community liaisons within the Division of Elections, accepts tribal IDs as valid identification, even though that ID does not establish state residency.

Other provisions include earlier processing of absentee ballots and requirements related to “secure” ballot drop boxes.

Brett Huber: SB 64 is lipstick on the pig of ranked-choice voting

The Renton ballot discovery is also likely to resonate in Anchorage, which already conducts its municipal elections almost entirely by mail. Anchorage’s system has faced periodic criticism over ballot handling.