Absentee ballots will cost 63 cents to mail

Voting in King County will be more expensive this year if you put your ballot in a mailbox.

Because there are so many "weighty" issues, it will cost an extra 24 cents to mail your ballot.

All the ballot measures, charter amendments and initiatives, in addition to the candidates, pushed the ballot length to 18 inches. The ballots weigh more than an ounce, requiring 63 cents in postage.

Unstamped ballots also can be dropped off at polling places between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7.

Two years ago, primary-election ballots in King County weighed 1.1 ounces, too heavy to mail with a single stamp. Surprised county officials agreed to pay the extra 23 cents for the oversized ballots.

But this year, voters will pick up the tab for the extra postage.

The King County Elections Office says the 595,000 absentee ballots should be in the mail by the end of this week.

Absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 7.

Besides regular weekday business hours, the King County Elections Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday for residents who are new to the state to register in person and for voters who plan to be traveling and cannot wait for their absentee ballot to arrive in the mail.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com