UW researchers report signature-challenge disparities, steady cure rates around 60%

Researchers from the University of Washington's Elections Database summarized multi-year data showing both progress and persistent disparities in ballot-challenge outcomes. Scott Eiloff and Jake Rumbaugh described analyses through 2025 and previewed that 2026 data will be available in December.

Eiloff said the database documents falling challenge rates overall and that the state does a good job of curing ballots, though cure rates vary. "The last couple of elections we've had, a little bit of a drop in the rate, but generally about 60% to 0.667 of voters cure their ballots," he said, describing variation by age and geography.

The team highlighted that younger voters (18-34) are several times more likely to face signature challenges and are less likely to cure them, compounding rejection risk, and that voters inside some tribal reservation boundaries can face distinct logistical barriers. The database team also presented analyses tying some increases in late rejection rates to changes in USPS routing and processing times.