State Audit Finds Voter Registration Backlog in Ferry and Stevens Counties

The Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) announced on Nov. 3 that automatic voter registrations (AVR) failed to process in Ferry and Stevens counties, beginning July 16. According to state officials, AVR applications are generated automatically when someone applying for state services presents proof of citizenship, but each one must still be reviewed by the county election administrator. Washington state implemented changes to the AVR system in July 2024, requiring county auditors to mail an informational notice to voters who were automatically registered through a transaction requiring proof of U.S. citizenship. Officials said the notice was intended to give individuals the opportunity to decline registration, allowing them to opt out after they have been automatically registered. According to OSOS, the AVR processing issue occurred between July 16, 2024, and Oct. 31, 2025. 

This administrative error affected a total of 6,783 applications across both counties, OSOS officials said, who added that, while a large portion of applications belonged to individuals who were already registered, 924 eligible voters with unprocessed applications may remain unregistered. The discovery was made after a Ferry County citizen expressed a concern; the OSOS Elections Division then began its audit, reviewing voter registration submissions forwarded by the Department of Licensing (DOL) to identify the AVR backlog across both counties, according to OSOS officials. 

Stevens County released its own press release on Nov. 4, as a follow-up to the information provided by OSOS. The press release reported that the Stevens County Auditor’s Office performed an internal review and reached the following determinations: 

● Stevens County has continued to receive and process AVR notices, albeit at a reduced pace. 

● These successful transactions originated in neighboring counties, which indicates that inter-county AVR transfers were operating as they should. 

● AVR records received straight from state agencies, such as the DOL, never appeared in the task queues of Stevens County election administrators. 

Stevens County Auditor Lori Larsen called on all voters to take responsibility for keeping their registration current, stating, “We’re fortunate to have multiple systems that help keep records accurate, but there is no substitute for a voter taking responsibility for his or her own registration.” 

The OSOS reported that the issue had been resolved as of Nov. 3, with both counties beginning to process AVRs; officials added that OSOS will collaborate with county elections partners to help prevent similar issues in the future. According to Stevens County’s press release, VoteWA permissions were fixed, making the missing records visible to county administrators. However, it is unclear how this oversight may have affected voters in regards to the Nov. 5, general election. 

Voters are able to confirm their voter registration status at any time through VoteWA.gov. To contact the Stevens County Elections Office, visit 215 S. Oak St., Room 106, Colville, stevenscountywa.gov, or call 509-684-7514.