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Ballots for next month’s general election will arrive in local mailboxes next week, as Pacific County voters will weigh in on federal, legislative and countywide races as well as state and local ballot measures.
The 18-day voting period for Washington’s Nov. 3 general election starts Oct. 16, and by next weekend the Pacific County Auditor’s Office will have mailed out ballots to more than 18,000 voters.
Completed ballots can be returned to official drop boxes anytime until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 or be returned via mail as long as they are postmarked by election day. Ballot postage is prepaid by the state government.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing completed ballots back at least a week before Election Day to be included in the initial batch of results reported on the night of the election.
On the peninsula, 24-hour drop boxes are located at the county annex building at 7013 Sandridge Rd. in Long Beach, at the Grays Harbor College Columbia Education Center at 208 Advent Ave. SE in Ilwaco, and at the Ocean Park Senior Center at 21603 O Lane in Klipsan. The drop box in Chinook is located at the community center at 810 U.S. Highway 101, while the Naselle drop box is at the Washington State Patrol office at 797 State Route 4.
Accessible voting equipment is available at the county’s elections office, located at 300 Memorial Drive in South Bend. A touchscreen voting method is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Nov. 2 — and is available until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 — for voters with accessibility, cognitive or mobility issues. Assistance is available upon request by contacting the county elections department at 360-875-9317.
The deadline for new online or mail voter registrations, and for transfers or updates to an existing voter registration, is Oct. 26. To register to vote online or update your registration, go to voter.votewa.gov. To register by mail, print a registration form from voter.votewa.gov or contact the county auditor’s office at 360-875-9317.
The last day to register to vote or update your registration in-person is Election Day, Nov. 3. To register in-person, visit the county auditor’s office at 300 Memorial Drive in South Bend.
For more information about the general election, visit co.pacific.wa.us/auditor/elections.htm or call the Pacific County Auditor’s Office at 360-875-9317.
The Chinook Observer will publish its annual questionnaires for candidates seeking local office in the coming weeks. There are contested races for five county offices on this year’s ballot: commissioner, sheriff, prosecutor, auditor and assessor.
The Observer will also have coverage of local candidate forums or debates, including the candidate forum hosted by Pacific County Voices Uniting in Ilwaco on Oct. 5. Coverage of that event will be published in the Oct. 14 print issue.