Mabton, Washington Public Records

Washington operates as a vote-by-mail state, automatically sending ballots to all registered voters approximately 18 days before each election, which eliminates traditional polling places for most voters. Registration is available online at www.vote.wa.gov, the official Washington Secretary of State voter registration portal. The process requires a valid Washington driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Online registration must be completed eight days before any election, though same-day registration remains available in person at the Yakima County elections office through Election Day. As an incorporated city, Mabton holds municipal elections for mayor and city council positions, typically in odd-numbered years. The city operates under a mayor-council form of government with council members serving four-year terms. Because all Washington elections are conducted by mail, residents don't have assigned polling places in the traditional sense. The county does provide accessible voting centers where voters can register, receive replacement ballots, vote in person, or get assistance. Ballot drop boxes are located throughout Yakima County, with at least one accessible location in or near the city where voters can return completed ballots until 8:00 PM on Election Day. Under Washington's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), many election records are public, including voter registration lists with certain personal information redacted, campaign finance reports filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission at www.pdc.wa.gov, candidate filing information, precinct-level election results, and ballot measures. The county elections website publishes unofficial results on election night and certified results after canvassing is complete. While Washington has no U.S. Senate seat up that year, since neither Senator Murray nor Senator Cantwell is scheduled for election, voters will elect all nine of Washington's House of Representatives seats. Mabton is located in Washington's 4th Congressional District. However, voters will elect all seats in the Washington State House of Representatives, with 98 districts each serving two-year terms, and half of the State Senate seats, 25 of 49, serving four-year staggered terms. The city is located in the 15th Legislative District. To receive a ballot by mail, voters need only be registered at their current county address; ballots are mailed automatically to all active registered voters. Those who don't receive a ballot can request a replacement from the Elections Office. Washington allows ballot tracking through the state's online portal at https://voter.votewa.gov, where voters can confirm their ballot was received and counted.