OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The state of Washington is launching a massive public awareness campaign to highlight the safety of its vote-by-mail process.

The Washington Office of the Secretary of State says it invested nearly $2 million in the effort to curb misinformation about mail-in ballots ahead of the August primary and November general election.

The campaign uses a newly created animated character called “Mark the Ballot” to lend insight into the process and encourage voters to use the system.

A 2022 survey found most Washington voters trust the state’s vote-by-mail system, but the office says there are lingering doubts over the security surrounding it.

The campaign is now live across media platforms after its social media-only launch in March.

The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office is also inviting the public to attend tours of its election center, where people can observe all aspects of ballot processing and have any questions answered.