National Guard, DOJ monitors headed to some Washington counties ahead of Election Day KOMO News
Oct 27, 2026 #komo #komonews #komo4 With one week until Election Day, several Washington counties are getting help from the National Guard to keep ballot drop boxes secure. The Department of Justice is also sending election monitors to some counties, including King County.
King, Pierce, Thurston, Clark and Snohomish counties have all accepted the governor’s offer of National Guard help. The move follows past incidents, including a ballot drop box set on fire in Vancouver, Washington, in 2024, and letters containing white powder sent to election offices and officials, including the Washington secretary of state.
Election officials say Guard members will be unarmed, wear plain clothes, and only monitor drop boxes. They will not handle ballots, interact with voters or act as law enforcement.