PORT ANGELES — Patty Rosand, Clallam County auditor, covered issues ranging from redistricting to a new voter registration project when she spoke to the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce earlier this week.
She began her discussion with a test.
“We mailed out ballots for the primary election last week,” Rosand told chamber members Monday.
“Did you all get your ballots?” she asked.
Only a few chamber members raised their hands.
“Trick question — only Sequim-area voters get to vote in this year’s primary,” she said.
Only one race had three candidates — and so was on the primary ballot — a Sequim City Council seat.
The top-two primary election narrows the field for the November election, with the two top vote-getters proceeding to the general election.
Ballots for the Nov. 6 elections will be mailed Oct. 19, she said.
Redistricting
New county commission districts were approved in June. They will be effective next year.
“We are done in the county,” Rosand said.
County commissioners unanimously accepted in June the redistricting plan developed by Districting Masters Gene Unger and Don Corson and selected by the Clallam County Districting Commission.
The new boundaries will move the districts slightly to the east when they take effect in 2012.
Redistricting remains an issue for other jurisdictions, Rosand said.
The state and small districts, including school districts, are still going through the process.
There will be a 10th congressional district created in Washington, but Rosand said she doesn’t believe Clallam County will be affected.
Vote by mail
This is the first year that all of Washington state will vote by mail, Rosand said.
Clallam County has been conducting all elections by mail since 2002.
“Pierce County was the last holdout,” she said.
Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.
Washington state is signing on to a Pew Charitable Trust program that is expected to help eliminate duplicate voter registrations, Rosand said.
“In the last election, 3 million Americans couldn’t vote because of errors in their voter registrations,” she said.
Many people believe that when they move, their voter registration automatically follows them, she said.
The Pew project will help develop a state database to keep track of voters.
“It won’t be automatic, but we will get more information,” Rosand said.
Features on the Clallam County website allow voters to check on and change their voter registration address.
To access the registration feature, visit http://tinyurl.com/25omebk and click on the red, white and blue “My Vote” button.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
