You may have seen recent news about the National Guard at ballot drop boxes in Washington State. It’s easy to get swept up in potentially alarming headlines, but at We the Veterans and Military Families we encourage checking multiple sources to get context when and where you can. The actual situation is grounded, deliberate and cooperative.
On October 22, 2026, Governor Bob Ferguson offered county election officials voluntary help from the Washington National Guard to watch over ballot drop boxes and busy voting locations (KOMO; Spokesman-Review). Counties decide for themselves whether to accept, and in this case, five counties chose to accept (UW Center for an Informed Public). The bottom line:governors calling on their state’s National Guard for election support is not new, though stationing observers at drop boxes is a new role in Washington (KOMO) (The Hill).
Washington’s elections are run locally by independently elected county auditors (in King County, an elected Director of Elections). Each county has its own staffing, geography and security needs, so each one evaluates the offer for itself and its unique needs. As of October 26, 2026, at least five counties have accepted: Clark, King, Pierce, Thurston and Snohomish (UW Center for an Informed Public; FOX 13). Counties that haven’t opted in will continue to manage ballot collection and drop boxes with their usual local staff.
Governor Ferguson’s letter asks Guard members to monitor inconspicuously, and will be watching over these locations will wear civilian clothes, will be unarmed, and will not handle ballots or interact with voters (KOMO; KIRO 7). Their role is to observe and alert local authorities if a problem occurs (KOMO), working under the county auditor (Thurston County; FOX 13).
Washington has drawn on the Guard for election support before: it has helped with election cybersecurity since 2016 (National Guard; KOMO). In 2024, after an incendiary device damaged hundreds of ballots inside a Vancouver drop box, then-Governor Jay Inslee placed Guard members on standby during election week as a precaution (Washington State Standard; Military Times).
If you have questions, reach out to your county election office or visit our election timeline, which shows how our election system has been tested and continues to hold strong. Be encouraged this election season!