Thurston County's elections office has updated more than 58,000 voter registration records so far in 2026. That amounts to roughly one in four of the county's 210,000-plus registered voters.
The updates include 1,823 registrations canceled because the voter died, 1,093 canceled at the voter's own request and 5,247 moved to inactive status after mail was returned as undeliverable, the Thurston County Auditor's Office said in a statement published by ThurstonTalk. Voters on the inactive list do not receive a ballot unless they contact the Auditor's Office to update their address.
The rest of the 58,000-plus changes were routine address updates and name changes, according to the statement. The Auditor's Office did not provide a breakdown of those categories.
"If a ballot arrives for a former resident, someone who has passed away, or an unfamiliar name, please reach out to the Auditor's Office right away," Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said in the statement.
Where the data comes from
To keep its rolls current, the Auditor's Office cross-checks records with the Washington Secretary of State, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Postal Service's National Change of Address program and several state agencies. Those agencies include the departments of Licensing, Health and Corrections and the Office of the Administrator of the Courts.
The office also removes deceased voters using health department records, published obituaries and written notices from family members.
Interstate checks through ERIC
Washington participates in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multistate nonprofit that uses data-matching software to compare voter registration and motor vehicle records across member states. The goal is to flag voters who may be registered in more than one state.
The Thurston County statement described ERIC as spanning "30 other states." An MIT Election Lab explainer updated in May 2026 listed 26 member jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia. Virginia officially rejoined ERIC on April 30, 2026, according to the Virginia Department of Elections, bringing the count to 27. The exact current membership figure is unclear.
What residents can do
Hall encouraged residents to report a deceased family member or a ballot that arrives for someone who no longer lives at the address. Residents can also write "Deceased" or "Not at this address" on the envelope and drop it back in the mail through the U.S. Postal Service.
