Voters no longer have to register in-person in the county where they live, and that means Jefferson County elections staff will be ready to accept ballots and day-of voter registrations on April 27, even though a special election has not been called for Jefferson County on that date.

Quinn Grewell, election coordinator for Jefferson County, said state law has been changed and the requirement that in person registration must take place in the voter’s county of residence has been eliminated.

State law, Grewell added, now allows a voter to register and receive a ballot in any Washington county effective June 11, 2020.

The change means that any voter in Washington state can visit the county elections office in Port Townsend to register to vote, change their residence address, and receive a ballot up until 8 p.m. Election Night. 

The change means registered voters from other counties can get a replacement or provisional ballot, fill it out, and deposit it with Jefferson County Elections and the ballot will be counted.

Ballots received from out-of-county voters by the 8 p.m. deadline will be forwarded to the county where the voter lives for processing, Grewell explained.

While other counties are holding special elections on Tuesday, April 27, Jefferson County will not. The elections division at the Jefferson County Courthouse, however, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 27 for voters casting ballots.