It’s only June, but the silly season has arrived.
Hundreds of current and would-be politicians file for election beginning today and begin their pilgrimage to the polls.
Pretty soon, the roads will be lined with campaign signs as candidates chase votes for 242 races in Snohomish and Island counties.
There are 174 races in Snohomish County, including 20 cities, six mayors, 42 school board members and 29 fire commissioners.
The candidate filing period closes Friday.
Lawmakers last year voted to give elections officials more time to conduct elections.
The Legislature moved the filing period two months earlier and the primary election to August. Political filings used to be the last week of July.
The primary election is Aug. 21; the general election is Nov. 6.
It used to be that the first candidate to sign up for an office appeared first on the ballot, Snohomish County election supervisor Wendy Mauch said. Now ballot order will be decided by lot.
That means fewer candidates are expected to show up at the crack of dawn today, she said.
The top of the partisan ticket includes the races for Snohomish County executive and County Council. In all, voters must choose new officials for five county positions where current candidates are forced out by term limits.
Candidates file with the county auditor and pay a fee based on 1 percent of the position’s paid salary. The highest fee will be paid by candidates for Snohomish County executive, a position that pays $134,697 this year and has an election filing fee of $1,346.97.
In Island County, there are 67 races, including the mayors of Langley, Oak Harbor and Coupeville.
Snohomish and Island counties conduct all-mail elections. Primary ballots are expected to be mailed to military and overseas voters on July 20. Ballots will be sent to the balance of the Snohomish County’s 334,000 voters on Aug. 2.
To receive a primary ballot, Snohomish County voters must register in person by July 20, or by mail by July 21. New residents have until Aug. 6 to register in the auditor’s office at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. Call 425-388-3444 for information.
In Island County, call 360-679-7366 for voter information.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
Keep track of who wants your vote.
Snohomish County: www.snoco.org and search “candidate”
Island County: www.islandcounty.net/auditor/filing.htm
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