Eager? You can vote now

Published 10:51 pm Tuesday, January 29, 2008

EVERETT — For the eager, certain voter, the presidential primary begins today when Snohomish County election officials plug in a handful of electronic touch-screen voting machines.

Voting machines are available at the county administration building from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. In a few weeks, more also will be plugged in at local libraries across the county.

Hundreds of voters in the county still cast their ballots on these machines even though the county switched to all-mail elections in 2006.

The machines are meant for disabled voters, but some voters still use them because they are easy and convenient, County Auditor Carolyn Diepenbrock said.

“The machine usage is increasing slowly and that may be just in part to our continued advertising that they’re there, at the same location for all countywide elections,” she said. “We’re using the libraries. People are getting used to having them there and actually using them.”

No one ever votes the first day, though, she said.

“People aren’t thinking that it’s election time yet,” she said. “Election Day is the 19th. It’s not in their minds that they can go and vote this early.”

Mail ballots go out Thursday to an estimated 335,000 voters. They’re due Feb. 19.

First-time voters can register to vote in person at the auditor’s office by Monday. The office is at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett, can be reached at 425-388-3444 or at www.snoco.org by using the search term “elections.”

Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.