Whidbey Island residents can now cast their votes without a stamp any time in the days leading up to the Nov. 2 election deadline.

In addition to casting their ballots via mail which requires a first class stamp, voters can now drop their ballots in a new lock box installed this week outside the county election office on North Main Street in Coupeville.

“This gives voters an opportunity to drop off their ballots day or night,” said Michele Reagan, Island County deputy auditor. She said the new box is secure and exceeds standards set by the United States Post Office.

Island County mailed out nearly 48,000 ballots for the 2010 general election. As of Wednesday afternoon, the county auditor’s office had received 17,425 returned ballots. Reagan said election staff is already busy verifying ballot signatures and scanning the ballots so they will be ready to count when the voting ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Ballots cast in the general election have to be postmarked by Nov. 2 in order to be counted.

There will be are ways to drop off ballots in person on election day only, with three other sites scattered throughout Island County:

• The Oak Harbor School District Administration Center located at 350 S. Oak Harbor St.

• The Island County elections office at 400 N. Main St. in Coupeville.

• Trinity Lutheran Church on Highway 525 in Freeland.

• County Annex on Camano Island.

Those four locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Accessible voting units are available at each ballot drop off locations for folks who need assistance casting their votes.

There are a number of hotly contested county races taking place in 2010. Camano Island resident Kelly Emerson is trying to unseat County Commissioner John Dean, who is completing his first term in office. County Assessor Dave Mattens is fending off a challenge from Mary Wilson Engle, who works in the assessor’s office. Seldom-heard-from Shane and Carol Ann Fortune are both vying for elected office. The husband and wife duo declined to participate in public debates or to be interviewed by the Whidbey News-Times. Shane Fortune is vying for the treasurer position against Anna Marie Nunez, who is the deputy treasurer. Carol Ann Fortune is competing against deputy clerk Debra van Pelt for the County Clerk position.

Island County Coroner Robert Bishop is being challenged by Freeland physician Paul Thompson.

When the polls close at 8 p.m., officials will start their first count, which Reagan said should be completed by 8:30 p.m. and posted online at www.islandcounty.net.

The Whidbey News-Times will post an election story online at about 9 p.m. at www.whidbeynewstimes.com.