From a King County Press Release:

Voters and King County Elections are closer to benefiting from the convenience and efficiency of all mail balloting with completion of a plan unveiled today. The plan is the first in a series of elections reports that will be sent to the County Council as King County gears up for a 2008 transition to an all mail voting system, joining the other 34 counties in Washington state that already vote entirely by mail.

“Our approach to implementing all-mail voting in King County is to manage this change over the next 14 months as a transition,” said Jim Buck, interim director of the Records, Elections and Licensing Services Division. “Changes and developments will be phased in throughout the implementation timeframe to allow for troubleshooting, evaluation and adjustment – with final implementation when we are most prepared and at the point of least risk and disruption.”

Under the plan submitted to the County Council:

• Voters who need an accessible way to vote will still have the ability to vote in person at a limited number of regional voting centers.
• Voters will be able to verify their ballot status using the Internet.
• Voters will have the option of returning their ballot by mail or at a secure ballot drop-off location.
• Ballots will be counted more efficiently and quickly using updated tabulation equipment.
• A more automated system will enhance the efficiency of election operations and reduce human errors by eliminating manual operations.
• Security will be a high priority in evaluating and selecting systems and establishing processes