Casting mailed ballots remained popular among voters in last year’s presidential election, even as President Donald Trump has tried to undercut the process through a wide-ranging executive order.

Such a path could drastically raise the stakes for federal investigations of state or county officials, bringing the department and the threat of criminalization into the election system.

The Washington County Election Commission met to officially welcome its newest member and prepare for the next big election. While 2025 isn’t a major election year, officials said it’s still a crucial time to focus on planning, training and maintaining voter trust. New commissioner Alexis Ward said she’s ready to hit the ground running.