Almost half of the Jefferson County residents registered to vote have returned their ballots for Tuesday’s all-mail general election, and the county auditor hopes the county’s general election turnout will again be the highest in the state.
“Jefferson County was No. 1 [in the state] in the [August] primary, so we want our voters to return their ballots,” County Auditor Donna Eldridge said Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, 11,184 ballots had been returned, comprising 49.22 percent of the 22,721 ballots mailed for Tuesday’s general election.
The primary election voter turnout in Jefferson County was 57.03 percent.
Eldridge said she’s expecting 89 percent total voter turnout out for Tuesday’s election, which includes the U.S. presidential race.
Secretary of State Sam Reed has said he expects an 81 percent voter turnout statewide.
The Auditor’s Office did not see a last-minute surge of voter registrations for the Tuesday election, Eldridge said.
Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, hand-delivered to the Auditor’s Office at the County Courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend or placed in a ballot drop-box no later than 8 p.m. that day.
Drop-boxes are in the back parking lot at the courthouse and at the Jefferson County Library at 620 Cedar Ave. in Port Hadlock.
State and regional races on the ballot include U.S. Senate and congressional seats, governor and state legislative seats.
Anyone who has not received a primary election ballot in Jefferson County should phone the Auditor’s Office at 360-385-9119 or email karenc@co.jefferson.wa.us.
Free copies of the Peninsula Daily News’ 2012 North Olympic Peninsula Voter Guide for the general election are available as long as they last at city halls, county courthouses, public libraries, senior centers and other public locations as well as at the PDN office at 305 W. First St. in downtown Port Angeles and online at www.peninsuladailynews.com.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
