Jefferson County returns over 16% of primary ballots
Published 12:01 am Sunday, July 29, 2012
PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County voter turnout in the all-mail Aug. 7 primary election has risen to more than 16 percent.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office had received by Friday 3,631 of the 21,867 ballots it has issued for the election.
Voter turnout countywide is 16.60 percent, said Betty Johnson, voter registration coordinator.
In the District 1 election for Jefferson County commissioner, 1,258 ballots were returned from 7,441 ballots issued, for a 16.91 percent voter turnout in that race.
In the commissioner District 2 election, 1,187 ballots had been returned out of 7,160 issued, for a 16.58 percent voter turnout.
The U.S. Postal Service has returned 75 ballots marked as undeliverable.
In Clallam County, voter turnout by Friday was 10.05 percent, with 4,608 ballots returned of the 45,850 ballots issued, Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand said.
Ballots must be postmarked by Aug. 7; hand-delivered to the Auditor’s Office at the County Courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St., 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.
24 contested races
Jefferson County has 24 contested races this year, including the U.S. Senate and Congress, the state governor and state legislative seats, county commissioner, and several state and local judicial positions.
The general election will be Nov. 6.
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 primary election are available at the PDN office at 305 W. First St. in downtown Port Angeles and online at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/peninsuladailynews.
