Watch for primary election ballots in mail today

EVERETT — Don’t be surprised to find a ballot in your mailbox today.

There’s a primary under way and 366,903 people in Snohomish County are eligible to cast votes in contests for leadership of the county, a few of its cities, several school boards and a couple fire and sewer districts.

Election Day is Aug. 18. Ballots must be postmarked no later than that date.

Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Weikel estimated a third of those voters will actually participate, a whopping drop from the record 87 percent turnout for the 2008 general election.

“That’s no surprise. This is an off-year primary. There are not a lot of races or issues that are exciting voters at this particular time,” she said. “But there will be in November.”

No seats will be filled with this election. In most races the primary determines the top two vote-getters who will meet in the November general election. The exception is two county council contests that are required by state law to be included because they involve a partisan office.

Elections manager Garth Fell urged voters not to overlook the importance of this primary.

“We’re stressing that these are local races and the decisions made now will have a big impact on your daily life,” he said.

Voters intending to take their ballots to collection site will find fewer drop-off centers and they will be open less hours.

In November, the county collected ballots at 40 sites including grocery stores and coffee shops during the final week of the election.

This time, confronted with budget cuts and anticipating a smaller volume of voters, six sites will be set up to collect ballots on the final two days of the election. Ballots also can be brought to the county auditor’s office.

Five locations will be at libraries and one will be at the disAbility Resource Connection in Everett. In addition, touch screen voting machines will be available at the auditor’s office and, on those last two days, at disAbility Resource Connection.

About 10,000 registered voters living near the border of Everett and Mukilteo will not receive ballots as there are no issues for them to decide. They will have something to vote on in November.

Voters can track their ballot to be sure it was received. To do that, go to the auditor’s election page online and search elections at www.snoco.org.

If you do not receive a ballot or the one that arrives is damaged, call the auditor’s office at 425-388-3444.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.

Where to drop-off your ballot

Collection sites

Lynnwood Sno-Isle Library, 19200 44th Ave. W.

Marysville Sno-Isle Library, 6120 Grove St.

Mill Creek Sno-Isle Library, 15429 Bothell-Everett Highway

Mukilteo Sno-Isle Library, 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd.

Snohomish Sno-Isle Library, 311 Maple Ave.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 17 and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 18.

Collection sites with touch-screen voting machines