Clallam County voters return nearly 20 percent of total ballots

Primary election is Tuesday

PORT ANGELES — Nearly 20 percent of primary election ballots mailed to registered voters had been returned to the Clallam County Auditor’s Office by Wednesday, the latest day for which the office recorded ballot returns.

The auditor’s office had received 10,797 of the 54,555 ballots mailed to registered voters on July 15, for a voter turnout of 19.79 percent in Clallam County in Tuesday’s primary election.

Jefferson County voters had returned 29 percent of the primary election ballots mailed to them by Thursday.

Ballots must be hand-delivered to a drop box or the auditor’s office, or postmarked by 8 p.m. Tuesday, to be counted.

The top-two vote-getters in the primary will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Drop boxes are at:

• Carlsborg: 261461 U.S. Highway 101 near Sunny Farms.

• Clallam Bay: 16990 state Highway 112 in front of the Clallam Bay Library.

Forks: 500 E. Division St., outside Forks City Hall.

Neah Bay: 1450 Bayview Ave., in front of Washburn’s General Store.

Clallam County Courthouse: 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles; two drop boxes available.

Sekiu: 15 Sekiu Airport Road at the Clallam County Public Utility District office.

Sequim: 651 W. Washington St., in the parking lot near JCPenney.

The Peninsula Daily News has published stories on primary contests involving Clallam County Public Utility District commission and the state Legislature. They can be found online at peninsuladailynews.com.

A statewide online voters’ guide is available at www.votewa.gov.

Printed voters’ pamphlets are not produced for primaries.

Candidate forums

Forums including candidates for lieutenant governor and secretary of state in advance of the primary are now available online.

Access the forums at the League of Women Voters at www.lwvwa.org/forums; or go to tinyurl.com/y3yjmmhs for the lieutenant governor candidate forum, and tinyurl.com/yy67xg4e for the secretary of state candidate forum.

Clallam County League of Women Voters have posted two candidate forums online: Legislative District 24-Position 1, and Clallam County Public Utility District 2. (Note: Only incumbent Mike Chapman appeared at the District 24 forum; challenger Sue Forde canceled and Daniel Charles Svoboda was a no-show).

View either forum at my.lwv.org.

A third forum featuring Legislative District 24-Position 2 candidates has been canceled, league officials note on their website: incumbent Steve Tharinger confirmed his availability but challengers Darren Corcoran and Brian Pruiett declined, and challenger Jodi Wilke has since dropped out of the race.

Voters who are now receiving their ballots and official voter guides for the primary also can check the following sites to make sure they are ready to vote: VoteWA (voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx), to check one’s voter status, an VOTE411 (vote411.org), the League of Women Voters candidate guide.

Voters also can find a list of planned debates at lwvwa.org/forums, as well as submit questions for candidates.

While the deadline for online and mail registrations has passed — it was Monday — new registrations and updates can be made in person at the Clallam County Auditor’s Office until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Though the office is closed because of COVID-19 health considerations, staff can make appointments as needed. Call 360-417-2221 for assistance.

For more information, see clallam.net/Auditor/Elections or call the elections manager at 360-417-2217.

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