With no statewide ballot measures, and it being an ‘off’ election year, election officials across the state sometimes expect lower turnout, but so far, it’s very low.
Statewide turnout just over 15 percent
According to information from the Secretary of State’s office, voter turnout as of Monday, November 6th was 15.93 percent. The Center Square reports 769,155 ballots out of 4.83 million registered voters have been returned so far.
These numbers will no doubt increase as mail-in and other drop-off ballots are received. As long as a ballot is postmarked before 8PM November 6h it will be eligible for counting.
Some of the turnout rates are rather flat. There are an estimated 3,000 local races, ranging from school board to city council seats, port commissioners, county commissioners, and more.
Some areas are also voting on special measures, including the Public Safety Tax renewal in Benton County. Spokane will choose a Mayor, with the race between incumbent Nadine Woodward and former Commerce Director Lisa Brown.
Richland School Board seats are up for grabs, and Seattle voters will determine whether to pass a tax that would reportedly be used to build several thousand ‘affordable’ housing units.
You can see ballot return rates in all of the state’s 39 counties by clicking here. Some of the return rates in notable counties include:
- Benton 15.95 percent
- Franklin 12.35 percent
- Yakima 13.58 percent
- Spokane 22.37 percent
- Pierce 11.4 percent
- King 14.49 percent
- Snohomish 13.5 percent
- Clark 12 percent
So far, the highest return rate is in tiny Columbia County (Dayton) at 29.93 percent, Garfield (the smallest county population-wise, Pomeroy the county seat) at 28.52 percent.
The lowest is Pierce County’s 11.3 percent.
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Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa