Why can most states get ballots out 45 days before the election but 11 states need a waiver?
Election officials cannot send a ballot to a voter until they know which candidates are on the ballot. Election officials do not know which candidates are on the ballot until the Primary has been certified. The states not seeking waivers have primaries between February and July and have time to design, print, assemble, and mail ballots well in advance of the general election. The states seeking waivers are states that have August and September primaries. In these states, the election officials do not know who the candidates are until a few days before the 45-day mailing period. After certifying the primary, election officials for the first time have an official list of candidates, unless a recount or an election challenge is filed. Once election officials have the candidate list, they can design, print, assemble and mail the ballots. Unfortunately, this takes more than a few days. Ballots are printed in hundreds, sometimes thousands, of different ballot styles. King County, for example
