SPOKANE, Wash. — With Election Day around the corner, the Spokane County Elections Office and Elections Auditor Vicky Dalton are making preparations by opening two Voter Service Centers.
"In the past, during general elections, we have seen people back into each other and nearly back over people," said Dalton.
Elections Manager Mike McLaughlin says the parking lot of the Elections Office poses several risks, thanks to its past as an old warehouse.
"Backing in and going forward is not like a traditional parking lot where it is easy to pull in and out," said McLaughlin.
With the expected crowds, the Spokane County Elections Office has opened two Voter Service Centers to provide additional support.
The centers are located at Eastern Washington University's Catalyst Building in downtown Spokane and at the CenterPlace Regional Event Center in Spokane Valley.
Voters can visit these sites in person to register to vote, obtain replacement ballots, cure signature challenges and drop off ballots.
"Both of these sites have great parking lots, great areas for the voters and for the staff to assist the voters," said Dalton.
Dalton says voters who want to drop off their ballots in person can bring the ballots that they received in the mail to these locations.
"It will be faster and less expensive. Because every time we have to reissue a ballot, that is taxpayer dollars," said Dalton.
But if voters need a replacement ballot, McLaughlin says there are still options.
"There's two options, you can go to one of the voter service centers, or you can go to our website and press print."
McLaughlin says the County Elections Office has already received hundreds of thousands of ballots and expects to continue to be busy in the final stretch of election season.
"200,00 ballots so far, and we expect another 100,000 in the next couple of days," said McLaughlin.
Both voting centers will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4, and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Dalton and McLaughlin encourage voters not to procrastinate and to plan for big crowds and long lines on Election Day.