Nearly 27 percent of registered voters had returned ballots as of Friday for the Sequim School District’s two levy propositions, while nearly 16 percent of Quillayute Valley School District voters had returned theirs in the Feb. 12 special election.
The auditors of Clallam and Jefferson counties reported Thursday that a combined 5,877 of the 21,790 ballots issued in the Sequim district — or 26.9 percent — had been returned, and 515 of 3,242 ballots — or 15.9 percent — had been returned in the Quillayute Valley district.
Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand said her office received 2,177 ballots Thursday for the special elections in Sequim and Forks.
The bulk of Thursday’s returns came from the ballot drop box at Sequim City Hall, Elections Supervisor Shoona Radon said.
Those ballots added 2,130 returned ballots to the Sequim total of 21,522 issued in Clallam County and 447 to the Clallam County count of 3,105 issued in Quillayute Valley.
Ballots received Friday added 399 to the Sequim total, 46 to Quillayute’s.
Karen Cartmel, chief deputy auditor for Jefferson County, said 80 of 268 Sequim voters in Jefferson County had returned their ballots as of Friday, with 22 of 137 returned from Quillayute Valley.
Ballots were mailed out by elections workers Jan. 23.
Details of levies
The Sequim School District is asking for a four-year maintenance-and-operations levy that would generate $5.8 million a year. The estimated rate would be about $1.60 per $1,000 assessed property value.
Sequim also seeks a one-year $1.6 million bus-replacement levy that would be taxed at an estimated 44 cents per $1,000.
Quillayute Valley School District is asking voters for a maintenance-and-operations levy to generate $628,000 each year from 2014 through 2017 — the same amount collected under the existing two-year levy.
Feb. 12 due date
The estimated rate would be $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Ballots must be postmarked or returned to an official drop box by Feb. 12 to be valid.
Drop boxes are outside the Clallam County Courthouse, in the Forks District Court lobby at 502 E. Division St. and at Sequim City Hall at 152 W. Cedar St.