Washington State Secretary of State Sam Reed predicts voter turnout in the Nov. 4 general election at 83 percent, the highest in more than 60 years.
Island County voters will likely turn in their ballots at an even higher rate, though numbers are a little low so far. Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider had predicted a 90 percent voter participation rate.
“Our ballots received are slightly less than we are accustomed to seeing at this point,” Crider wrote in an email message.
Many Island County voters appear to be hanging on to their ballots, waiting for the latest news before making their decisions. From the presidential race on down to the Whidbey Island battle over an electrical PUD, campaigns have been hard-fought to the end.
Loann Gulick, the county elections officer, said the auditor’s office has received 25,396 ballots as of Friday morning. That’s 52.6 percent of the 48,294 mail-in ballots that were sent out.
According to Crider, other counties have reported higher returns than Island County at this point: Klickitat is reporting 55.9 percent, San Juan was at 53 percent yesterday and Lincoln was at 51 percent yesterday.
Island County normally has a high voter turnout, especially in presidential election years. In 2004, voter turnout was at 89.4 percent.
Island County Sheriff Mark Brown reminds folks to follow the rules when they fill out ballots. After every election, his office receives several requests from the auditor’s office and prosecuting attorney’s office to investigate potential absentee ballot voter fraud. In at least one case, a resident was prosecuted when she signed her daughter’s ballot.
Brown explained that it’s illegal to cast or sign someone else’s ballot, even if the person can obtain permission from the voter.
“If the other person is incapable of signing their ballot they may place an ‘X’ on the signature line with two persons witnessing and signing indicating they witnessed the voter make this mark,” Brown said in a press release.
Ballots may be mailed on or before election day or voters may drop their ballots off at the auditor’s office in Coupeville between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
On election day, mailed ballots must have a postmark. Or voters may drop ballots at a regional voting center, which includes the auditor’s office and the Oak Harbor School Administration Building at 350 S Oak Harbor St.
Local elections results can be found Tuesday night after the polls close at www.whidbeynewstimes.com and will also appear in next Wednesday’s Whidbey News-Times.
