Snohomish County elections officials plan to send ballots Thursday, May 5, for the May 24 presidential primary, but ballot drop boxes already are open.

The drop boxes in Edmonds, Lynnwood, Bothell and nine other sites around the county opened Wednesday, May 27, to accommodate military voters.

Elections officials sent ballots to military and oversea voters April 9. Military voters may be as far away as Afghanistan or as close as Naval Station Everett.

Snohomish County officials report that at least 200 completed primary ballots arrived in boxes that were open for the Tuesday, April 26, special elections in the Everett and Marysville school districts.

Elections officials send primary ballots Thursday, May 5, to voters who had registered as of Monday, April 25. New Washington voters can register through May 16, but they must register in person at the Snohomish County auditor’s office in Everett.

Ballot drop boxes close at 8 p.m. Election Day, May 24, near the Edmonds Library, 650 Main St.; in front of the Lynnwood City Hall, 19100 44th Ave. W.; in the Bothell QFC parking lot, 22833 Bothell-Everett Highway and at nine other sites around the county.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.