Local voter turnout among highest in state

Published 8:58 pm Monday, July 29, 2024

PACIFIC COUNTY — With an array of federal, state and local races being contested, the share of local voters who have already returned their ballot ahead of next week’s primary election is among the top in the state.

As of Monday, July 29, the Washington Secretary of State’s office reported that 16% of the 17,000 ballots mailed out to Pacific County voters earlier this month have been returned to the county auditor’s office for the Aug. 6 election.

That figure currently ranks second out of Washington’s 39 counties and is nearly double the statewide turnout rate, which sat at 9.1% as of Monday.

The percentage of local ballots returned, however, is running well behind what it was four years ago, in the 2020 primary election. With eight days remaining until that year’s primary election, turnout in Pacific County was already at 26.4% — 10 percentage points higher than this year’s share eight days before ballots are due.

Official ballot drop boxes located throughout the county have 24-hour accessibility. On the peninsula, drop boxes are located at the county annex building at 7013 Sandridge Rd. and at the Ocean Park Senior Center at 21603 O Lane. The drop box in Chinook is located at the community center at 810 Highway 101, and at the Washington State Patrol office at 797 State Route 4 in Naselle.

Ballots can also be returned by mail. The ballots come with prepaid postage, meaning no stamp is necessary. Ballots need to be postmarked on or before the day of the election, Aug. 6. To view the status of your ballot, visit voter.votewa.gov.

Accessible voting equipment is available at the Pacific County Auditor’s Office in South Bend from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. up until next Monday, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the election itself. The office is closed from 12-1 p.m. for lunch. People who need assistance to vote, or those who have questions or concerns about the ballot process, can contact the auditor’s office at 360-642-9317.

The last day for in-person registration is Aug. 6. To register to vote in-person, visit the county auditor’s office in South Bend.

The Observer will have online coverage of the initial election results next Tuesday evening at chinookobserver.com.