EVERETT — Ballots for the Aug. 5 primary election will be mailed Thursday to approximately 470,000 registered voters in Snohomish County, according to a press release.
Voters should begin to see their ballots by the end of this week. Some ballots are expected to arrive this weekend or by early next week, the county said. In June, more than 7,600 ballots were mailed to military and overseas voters.
The Aug. 5 primary ballot features local races for county, city, schools and fire districts. In the race for Everett mayor, three candidates are seeking to unseat incumbent Cassie Franklin. City council seats are also up for grabs in Everett, Edmonds and Lynnwood.
“Local elections have a direct impact on the communities we live in, and your participation in the August 5 Primary is an important step in determining which candidates will move on to the November General Election,” Snohomish County Auditor Garth Fell said in the press release. “The candidates we elect this year will shape the priorities for our county, cities, schools, and other local districts.”
With more than 180 local offices to be decided this year, the Aug. 5 primary helps narrow down the field of candidates, the press release said. In each race, the top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election. Partisan offices, such as county council, always appear on the primary ballot, even if only one or two candidates file. Most nonpartisan races only appear on the primary ballot if three or more candidates file for a position.
Approximately 60,000 voters in Snohomish County have no races or ballot measures to consider and will not receive a ballot, according to the elections office.
In an effort to make it more voter friendly, this year’s voters’ pamphlet has been redesigned into a booklet format. The ballot packet will include fewer inserts and more personalized instructions to help streamline the voter process, the elections office said.
“We’re always working to improve the process for voters,” Fell said in the release.
Voters have until July 28, to register or update their existing voter registration online or by mail. In-person voter services, including registering to vote, updating an existing registration, obtaining a new or replacement ballot, and using accessible voting equipment, will be available until 8 p.m. on Election Day at the elections office in Everett or at an accessible voter services location.
Ballots can be returned to one of 35 official ballot drop boxes open for the August primary. Ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day. A complete list of ballot drop box locations can be found in the local voters’ pamphlet and at bit.ly/SnoCo_dropbox.
Additionally, voters can return their ballots postage-free by mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Aug. 5 to count. To ensure timely delivery, voters are advised to check the mail collection times listed on the outside of the USPS postal box to confirm that their ballot will be processed by the U.S. Postal Service by the Aug. 5 deadline.
Michael Henneke: 425-339-3431; michael.henneke@heraldnet.com; X: @ihenpecked
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