Can U Top 2?

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Hardly seems possible, but Washington's Top 2 Primary gets underway next week! Mail ballots will be available for pick-up at the county elections offices next Wednesday and by law must be mailed out to voters by Friday. That means most of us can start voting in little more than a week from now. The postmark deadline is Aug. 17. Secretary of State Sam Reed urged a big turnout for the run-up to this key mid-term election:

"This is an excellent opportunity for you to have your voice heard. We are hearing a huge amount of debate over the direction of the state and country, and we all deeply care about the future of our local communities, as well. This Top 2 Primary will give you and your neighbors a chance to help shape that future by picking your favorites for each office."

This is the third running of the Top 2 Primary, which voters approved and the Supreme Court upheld. In short, it's no longer a nominating primary where you get a standard-bearer for each party. Instead, it's a winnowing primary. That means everyone who filed for each office will appear on the primary ballot and the two most popular vote-getters will advance to the General Election. When candidates filed back in June, they were permitted to list their party preference, although that doesn't mean the party necessarily endorses them. Candidates could also choose no party preference at all, or could make up a not-real party identifier. So, can you Top 2? Why sure, it's a piece of cake. Here's a brief primer for you.