(1) A service or overseas voter may request or return a ballot by:

(a) Any manner authorized by WAC 434-250-030;

(b) A federal post card application issued by the federal voting assistance program; or

(c) A federal write-in absentee ballot issued by the federal voting assistance program.

(2) The county auditor must issue a ballot by mail, email, or fax if specifically requested by the voter. A ballot does not have to be mailed if it is emailed or faxed to the voter. If an email is returned as undeliverable and the voter has not provided an alternate email address, then the ballot must be sent by postal mail.

(3) Ballot materials must include the mailing address, phone number, fax number, email address, and website of the county auditor's office to enable a voter to contact the elections office for additional information about the election. Ballot materials must include instructions on how to return the ballot by fax, email, or postal mail, including how to include the ballot privacy sheet between the declaration page and the ballot. Ballot materials must include instructions on how to confirm that the voted ballot has been received by the elections office, in a format that the voter can keep after the voted ballot has been returned.

(4) If the county auditor is unable to issue a ballot due to insufficient information, the county auditor must attempt to contact the voter, consistent with WAC 434-235-020, to clarify the request. If the county auditor is unable to obtain sufficient information, other than residential address, to issue the ballot, the county auditor must attempt to notify the voter of the reason that the ballot was not issued.

(5) Pursuant to RCW 29A.40.091, return envelopes must be printed to indicate that they may be returned postage-free.