PORT TOWNSEND — On the penultimate day before an all-mail election ends to renew support for East Jefferson Fire-Rescue, the Jefferson County auditor has received a shade more than 48 percent of the ballots distributed.
Elections Coordinator Karen Cartmel said expected a relatively low turnout for the election, previously predicting about 55 percent of ballots would be returned by today at 8 p.m., when the election period ends.
On Monday, Cartmel said that total could be reached when all the votes are counted.
Postmarked by today
Ballots must be postmarked no later than today, April 27, or dropped off by no later than 8 p.m. at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend, or at the Jefferson County Library parking lot at 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock.
Initial results will be posted on the county Web site, http://tinyurl.com/jeffersonvote, at about 8:10 p.m.
The second posting of the votes will be on April 30, and the third, if necessary, will occur May 5, Cartmel said.
Voters in Port Townsend are deciding whether to restore the city’s emergency medical service levy rate to 50 cents per $1,000 assessed value in the city. The current rate is 28 cents per $1,000.
The two measures in the unincorporated areas of the fire district are:
• Proposition 1, which would restore the district’s emergency medical services levy rate to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value within the district. The current rate is 32 cents per $1,000.
• Proposition 2, which would restore the fire district’s regular tax levy for fire services to $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. The current rate is 56 cents per $1,000.
A total of 14,832 ballots were issued in the all-mail election, with 7,156, or 48 percent, returned by Monday. There were 101 undeliverable ballots.
Of the ballots sent out, 6,737 were in Port Townsend, while 8,097 were to registered voters in unincorporated areas of the county.
As of Monday afternoon, 3,251 of Port Townsend voters had responded.
In the unincorporated areas, 3,893 were returned.
Both jurisdictions reflected a 48 percent return.
For questions about ballots, phone the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office at 360-385-9117
