It is Election Day, and if you plan to vote then your ballot must be postmarked today or dropped in a designated ballot collection box by 8 p.m.

The primary includes contests for 26 seats on city councils, school boards, special districts and the Snohomish County Council. The top two vote-getters in each race advance to the November general election.

Initial results are due to be released by 8:30 p.m. and will be posted online at www.snoco.org and at heraldnet.com.

Nearly 370,000 voters are eligible for this year’s primary but county election officials are predicting a turnout of only 29 percent. As of Monday morning, 15.5 percent of ballots had been returned for tabulating.

Participation is low everywhere except Woodway where voters are engaged in deciding two issues involving taxes.

Residents are considering a $6.2 million bond measure to buy the Rosary Heights estate from an order of Dominican nuns and a property tax increase to maintain town services.

Roughly 54 percent of Woodway’s eligible voters had returned their ballots as of Monday morning.

If you’re mailing a ballot, don’t put it in a blue postal box unless you are certain it will be picked up and postmarked today.

Up until 8 p.m. they can be placed in collection boxes at several area libraries or taken to the county auditor’s office in Everett. No postage is required.

Also, touch-screen voting machines will be set up for use at the auditor’s office and at disability Resource Connection in Everett.

Machines are for use by those who are disabled or those who do not want to cast a mail-in ballot. Vote machines will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you have not received your ballot or have questions about the election, call 425-388-3444.

Where to drop ballots

Lynnwood Library, 19200 44th Ave. W.

Marysville Library, 6120 Grove St.

Mill Creek Library, 15429 Bothell-Everett Highway

Mukilteo Library, 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd.

Snohomish Library, 311 Maple Ave.

Collection sites with voting machines:

disAbility Resource Connection, 607 SE Everett Mall Way, 6C

Snohomish County Auditor’s Office, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett

All locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today.