Casting Your Ballot? Here Are The Drop Boxes In Bellevue

BELLEVUE, WA — Unprecedented early voting momentum is holding strong in Washington, with hundreds of thousands of ballots now cast in record time.

Just days after ballots hit mailboxes across the state, nearly 850,000 are back in the hands of elections officials, according to the Secretary of State's office. In King County, close to 17 percent of voters had returned their ballots by Tuesday evening.

Related: King County Ballots Mailed: Here's What To Know For 2020

According to King County Elections, more than half of the 280,000 ballots collected by Tuesday were returned to one of the county's 72 drop boxes, and the number of ballots cast in the first five days of the election surpassed the previous record by more than tenfold. As a result, elections staffers are now collecting ballots twice a day at all drop box locations and even more frequently in the most highly-trafficked areas. According to elections officials, 96 percent of voters live within three miles of a drop box.

Here are the closest drop boxes for Bellevue voters (open 24/7)

• Bellevue Library
  • 1111 110th Ave. NE
• Crossroads Shopping Center
  • 15600 NE 8th St.
• Newport Way Library
  • 14250 SE Newport Way

These are the top 10 most popular drop box locations in King County:

1. Ballard Branch Library (Seattle)
2. Redmond City Hall (Redmond)
3. Alaska Junction (Seattle)
4. Issaquah City Hall (Issaquah)
5. Broadview Library (Seattle)
6. Sammamish City Hall (Sammamish)
7. Crossroads Shopping Center (Bellevue)
8. Lake City Library (Seattle)
9. King County Elections HQ (Renton)
10. Kirkland City Hall (Kirkland)

If you live outside of town or are looking for some alternatives, you can find a map of all 72 ballot drop boxes in King County online.

King County Elections officials are projecting an all-time voter participation record this year and have challenged voters to hit the 90 percent turnout mark. Early voting is encouraged to ensure election night returns reflect the fullest possible results and avoid the last-minute crunch.

"We're looking at half a million voters, what our data tells us, going out on Election Day to return a ballot at a drop box," said Julie Wise, director of King County Elections. "We think that is a bad idea. We think people should return their ballots earlier than that and not get into lines and rush."

Those who choose to vote by mail should plan on sending their ballots in no later than Friday, Oct. 30, to ensure an on-time postmark. Registered voters who have not received a ballot can contact King County Elections at 206-296-VOTE for a replacement ballot, or explore their options online. Residents who still need to register or update their voter information can do so by mail or online through Monday, Oct. 26. In-person registration is possible at official vote centers until the polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Related: King County Ballot Measures: 2020 General Election

Helpful links for King County voters:

• Register to vote or update registration online
• Find your nearest vote center
• Drop box locations
• Voters' pamphlet