EVERETT — Ballots are heading out in the mail today to 330,000 voters, bringing choices on hundreds of races from sheriff to the thankless sewer commissioner.
At best, officials estimate 198,000 ballots will come back, as much as 60 percent turnout, Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Diepenbrock said.
One of the lightning-rod measures that could drive voter turnout is a $17.8 billion tax increase for road and transit improvements in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties.
Otherwise, turnout for the Nov. 6 general election will depend on how excited voters get about candidates for county government, city councils, school boards and utility boards.
“The elections being held in the off-year are the elections of individuals that are making decisions that really affect our daily life,” Diepenbrock said.
This is the county’s second all-mail general election since shelving its electronic voting machines. Voters still can use the machines, intended for disabled voters, in the auditor’s office during business hours and during special times at some local libraries.
On Nov. 1, the county will open 29 electronic voting locations at local libraries and ballot drop-off locations at grocery stores and coffee shops from Stanwood to Mountlake Terrace.
Upgrades to the auditor’s Web site allow voters to track their ballot, read voters’ guides and now look at a map of any voting precinct.
“People wanted to see what their boundary lines are,” Diepenbrock said.
How many ballots are returned early next week might show Diepenbrock whether her prediction is on the mark. “People are engaged or they are not engaged,” she said.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
Problems with your ballot?
Didn’t get a ballot? Lost your voter’s guide? Got a question? Call Snohomish County elections department at 425-388-3444, or go online to www.snoco.org and search for “Elections.”
The county’s Web site has a way to track a ballot.
The state voters guide was mailed a few weeks ago. If you lost yours, the guide is available online at www.secstate.wa.gov/elections.
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