PORT ANGELES — If voting is close, it will take until at least Friday before a fire district levy and the sheriff’s race in today’s primary election are decided.
That’s because it now takes days to receive, process, then count ballots, in Clallam County’s all-mail elections — especially after the complications mandated for this year’s primary.
Election Day is now Election Week.
Actually, the election has been under way since Aug. 25, when vote-by-mail ballots were sent out to all registered voters.
There is no voting at polls in Clallam County.
To be counted, ballots must be postmarked by no later than today — or dropped off no later than 8 o’clock tonight at:
* Clallam County courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles (there’s a drive-up dropbox).
* Sequim Motor Vehicle Licensing Office, 1001 E. Washington St., Sequim.
* Forks District Court, 500 E. Division St., Forks.
As of Monday afternoon, 14,769 ballots had been returned to the county auditor’s election center in the courthouse.
That’s 34.6 percent of the 42,662 total ballots sent to registered voters — which is about 1 percent higher than was received for last year’s primary at this same point.
County Elections Supervisor Patty Rosand said ballots received through last Wednesday will be counted after 8 o’clock tonight.
Ballots can’t be counted until all voting closes.