Ballot Drop Boxes.
Washington elections are conducted by mail, with the county auditor sending each voter a ballot. The auditor must also send voters a return envelope in which they may send their voted ballot back to the county.
The county auditor is also required to establish drop boxes into which voters can deposit their ballots rather than return them by mail. Ballot drop boxes must be established at each voting center opened by the auditor, in addition to at least one location established by the auditor at which people can register to vote in person (e.g., the county auditor's office). Additionally, there must be one ballot drop box per 15,000 registered voters in the county, and one drop box in each city, town, and census-designated place in the county with a post office.
Auditors must prevent overflow of a ballot drop box. At least two people must be involved when removing ballots from a drop box. Ballots are taken from a drop box to a counting center in secured transport containers. All ballot drop boxes must be secured at 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election.
Gross Misdemeanors.
A gross misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum of 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
It is a gross misdemeanor to misrepresent an unofficial ballot collection site or device as an official ballot drop box that has been established by the county auditor.