Primary ends Tuesday; have you voted?

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Washington’s 2013 Primary ends Tuesday at 8 p.m., so do it before it’s too late. If you’re waiting until the last minute to return your ballot, Secretary of State Kim Wyman recommends that you NOT put your ballot in the mail. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (Aug. 6) in order to be counted, but there is no guarantee that the post office will postmark it in time to count. Wyman, the state’s chief elections officer, says it’s better to play it safe and take your ballot to a ballot drop box or an accessible voting center by 8 p.m. on Tuesday to ensure that your ballot is counted. Contact your county elections office to find the ballot drop box or accessible voting center nearest you. Even though the ‘13 Primary is taking place in an “off year,” it still matters greatly to you and your community, says Wyman. She notes there is plenty on the ballot in odd-numbered years: city councils members, mayors, school board members, port district commissioners and fire district commissioners.

“These local races can impact you and your families more directly than federal or state races. These races affect how your city addresses issues like traffic and crime. They affect how your schools educate your kids. They affect how much money you pay in taxes and what kind of services you get with your tax dollars,” Wyman said.

The Primary includes three special state Senate races, in the 7th District (Northeast Washington), 8th District (near the Tri-Cities) and 26th District (parts of Kitsap and Pierce counties). The 26th District contest is the only one featuring a Democrat (appointee Nathan Schlicher) and Republican (Rep. Jan Angel) competing for the seat. The top two vote-getters in partisan races, regardless of party, will advance to the General Election this fall. If a nonpartisan race has only 1 or 2 candidates, that race is not on the Primary ballot and you’ll see it in the General Election. Not all Washington registered voters received a Primary ballot this year. Out of Washington’s 39 counties, 36 will hold a Primary this year. Asotin, Columbia and Garfield counties required no Primary at all this year, and parts of many counties also have no races that are contested in the Primary. The State Elections Division forecast a turnout in the 30 percent range, about average for the off-year turnout. That would be a million voters.