Washington Offers National Guard for Ballot Box Security
Governor Bob Ferguson is giving county auditors the option to use unarmed National Guard members to monitor ballot drop boxes.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Elections
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Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has offered county auditors the assistance of the National Guard to help monitor ballot drop boxes. The move comes as an optional support measure for counties looking to bolster election security.
Why it matters
The offer follows an arson incident in early 2024 that destroyed hundreds of ballots in Clark County and a series of threats involving white powder sent to election officials. It aims to provide an additional layer of security for the current election cycle.
This policy follows cybersecurity assistance programs provided by the National Guard since 2016. Interested counties must notify the Governor's office in advance to finalize the deployment of non-uniformed, unarmed personnel.
The players
Bob Ferguson
Bob Ferguson is the Governor of Washington who has proposed the use of National Guard personnel to assist with election security.
Washington National Guard
The Washington National Guard is a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces that has supported state election cybersecurity efforts for a decade.
The details
National Guard members assigned to this duty will remain out of uniform and unarmed throughout their deployment. Personnel will not interact with voters, instead focusing on observing sites and maintaining a line of communication with local authorities.
Timeline
The Washington National Guard began providing election cybersecurity support in 2016.
Hundreds of ballots were destroyed in a Clark County arson fire in early 2024.
Governor Bob Ferguson announced the National Guard support offer on October 23, 2026.
Political Context
Opponents or skeptics of this deployment may raise concerns regarding the militarization of election infrastructure, even with non-uniformed personnel. Critics might argue that local law enforcement should maintain sole responsibility for site monitoring to preserve the independence of the voting process.
The program is optional and requires county auditors to coordinate directly with the state to implement changes. Voters should notice no change in their ability to use drop boxes, as Guard members are restricted from interacting with the public.
The takeaway
This initiative represents a significant escalation in state-level election protection measures following recent threats to ballot integrity. Residents should continue to follow official guidance from their local county auditor regarding safe and secure ballot submission methods.
Further reading
For more information on the current voting process in the state, visit Washington Elections.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOMO.
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Do you support using National Guard personnel to provide physical security at local ballot drop boxes?
