Box of Uncounted Ballots Found Near Renton Dumpster

Washington GOP leader claims discovery exposes election security issues

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:00am

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A quiet, cinematic painting of a solitary cardboard box sitting alone on a concrete sidewalk, partially obscured by shadows with a faint hint of sunlight filtering through, conceptually representing the fragility and vulnerability of the electoral process.The discovery of a box of uncounted ballots near a Renton dumpster raises troubling questions about the security of Washington's elections.Renton Today

A box containing around 400 uncounted ballots from 2022-2025 elections was discovered near a dumpster in Renton, Washington and later obtained by the state's Republican Party chairman. The chairman claims this is proof that Washington's elections are not secure, while election officials say there are safeguards in place and urge proper reporting procedures to be followed.

Why it matters

The discovery of undelivered ballots raises concerns about election integrity and security, especially as the state GOP pushes for stricter voting requirements. However, election officials maintain that existing safeguards prevent misuse of undelivered ballots.

The details

The box of ballots, mostly unopened and unvoted, was brought to the Washington State Republican Party headquarters on Thursday by chairman Jim Walsh. Walsh claims a 'concerned citizen' found the box in mid-February and tried unsuccessfully to contact election officials. Walsh says he learned of the ballots last week and arranged to have them brought to the party office. Election officials say they have no record of anyone reporting the found ballots and stress that posting a video on social media is not the proper way to handle such a situation.

  • The box of ballots was discovered in mid-February 2026.
  • The ballots were brought to the Washington State Republican Party headquarters on Thursday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Jim Walsh

Chairman of the Washington State Republican Party, who obtained the box of ballots and claims they expose election security issues.

Halei Watkins

Communications manager for King County Elections, who says the county has no record of anyone reporting the found ballots.

Steve Hobbs

Washington Secretary of State, who stresses that the state's elections are safe and secure with safeguards in place.

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What they’re saying

“This is proof that Washington state elections are not secure. This is the reason we need to do better by election integrity and election security in Washington state.”

— Jim Walsh, Chairman, Washington State Republican Party

“If a person finds undelivered mail that has been improperly disposed of, there are several steps they should take to ensure it is fully investigated. Posting a video on social media is not one of them.”

— Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State

“Despite the claims made in the video, we have no record of anyone contacting our office to report finding a box of undelivered ballots. If this person had spoken to anyone on our team, we would have absolutely asked them to bring the box to us so we could investigate.”

— Halei Watkins, Communications Manager, King County Elections

What’s next

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office are investigating the discovery of the ballots. If postal inspectors do not take possession of the ballots, they will be turned over to King County Elections.

The takeaway

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about election security and integrity, even in a state like Washington that has robust voting safeguards. It underscores the need for clear reporting procedures when issues arise, to ensure proper investigation and resolution.