The Yakima County Auditors Office will be placing more permanent drop boxes in communities around the valley starting early next year. Yakima County Auditor Charles Ross says the county will be getting help from the state of Washington to pay for the boxes that cost anywhere from $1500 to $3,000. That's because a judge has ordered the state to reimburse counties for money spent on additional ballot drop boxes required to comply with state law. The King County Judge says the law violates a statue which bars the state from requiring local government to provide new service with the state giving money to the governments to cover the costs.

Currently the county has permanent boxes in Yakima, Toppenish, Sunnyside, Parker and White Swan. But Yakima County Auditor Charles Ross says they'll be replacing the drop boxes that are now located in town halls in many communities. The permanent boxes are open 24/7 unlike the other boxes that aren't accessible after the town halls close. Ross says it could take several years to replace all the town hall boxes with permanent drop boxes but he says the state will be funding the cost of the boxes.

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