Full Breakdown
Spokane County Provides Voting Assistance Amid Wildfire Evacuations
8/5/2026, 4:58:07 PM
Election Voting Options for Residents Affected by Fires
Spokane County’s auditor’s office has set up multiple ways for voters displaced by the recent wildfires to cast or replace their primary-election ballots. Residents can pick up replacement packets in person at the county elections office (1033 W. Gardner Ave.) or at the voter service center in Spokane Valley, and they may also print a new ballot online at votewa.gov. The office will be open from early morning through the evening on both Monday and Election Day. In addition, 26 county-wide ballot drop boxes remain available, and voters may deliver ballots to the post office for hand-stamping.
Official Statements & Responses
County Auditor Vicky Dalton said the election-day counting process will proceed as usual and that no delays are expected. She urged voters whose ballots might have been lost in transit to request a replacement, noting that some mail-in ballots could have been delayed by the fires. Dalton emphasized that the city’s public-library system will help voters who lack personal printing resources, and she confirmed that the Indian Trail Library drop box, though located in an evacuation zone, is secure and no ballots were lost.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I almost didn’t think I’d be able to vote,” — Burtness
- “I am happy to report that the ballot drop box at Indian Trail Library is safe and no ballots were lost in that drop box,” — County Auditor Vicky Dalton
- “And we’ll do everything we can to assist voters that have been impacted by this fire.” — County Auditor Vicky Dalton
- “We realize there’s a lot of people who will not be able to access any of their own resources, so the city of Spokane is going to be helping voters out that way if they’re not able to get to the elections office of the voter’s service center out at CenterPlace,” — County Auditor Vicky Dalton
- “We’re evaluating the situation to determine if the box will remain open or we’ll close it,” — County Auditor Vicky Dalton
Library Support and Drop-Box Status
Spokane Public Library branches and Spokane County Library District locations are prepared to assist with ballot printing, though the Hillyard and Shadle Park branches are operating without Wi-Fi, limiting on-site printing. The Indian Trail Library, situated inside an evacuation zone, is closed, but its drop box has been inspected and found safe. Voters may use the remaining 26 drop boxes, which are all outside evacuation zones, or the three open library branches—Central, Liberty Park, and South Hill—to print ballots.
What’s Next
All replacement-ballot packets must be submitted by 8 p.m. on Election Day, either through a drop box, the post office, or in person at the designated voting sites. Voters can verify the status of their ballot online at votewa.gov and locate the nearest drop box via the county’s website.
