Today, Aug. 7, is the last day to submit your vote for the primary elections. Ballots can be returned by mail (must be postmarked for today), or returned through one of the many dropboxes sitting around Seattle.
In Ballard, a drop box is sitting in front of the Ballard Branch Library at NW 57th St and 22nd Ave NW.
Though Secretary of State Sam Reed had an optimistic outlook that this year would have a higher-than-normal turnout in primary voting, so far the numbers support the opposite view, according to The Stranger's SLOG. As of today, only 207,000 ballots have been returned as of yesterday, according to the election website -- no primary in the last ten years has seen fewer than 248,000 ballots returned.
However, today could still see a rush of last-minute voters, possibly turning those numbers around.
The primaries include candidates for Washington State legislature, U.S. Congress and the Governor's office, as well as Proposition 1, which focuses on funding for core library services.
The Ballard News-Tribune, in the Coffee with the Candidates" series, has interviewed all the candidates for the crowded 36th District, which covers Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Belltown, Phinney Ridge and Fremont. Candidates are Port of Seattle Commission President Gael Tarleton, Director of Sustainability at Unico Properties Brett Phillips, legislative aides Evan Clifthorne and Sahar Fathi, Progressive Majority state director Noel Frame, Republican Ryan Gabriel and longtime political activist Linde Knighton.
In the gubernatorial race, the two presumed candidates are Democrat Jay Inslee and Republican Rob McKenna. Inslee has just stepped down after 13 years in Congress to focus full time on his campaign and lives on Bainbridge Island. Rob McKenna lives in Bellevue and is Washington state's attorney general and a former King County Council member.
Congressional District No. 1 is also seeing fierce competition. Candidates include John Koster, Darcy Burner, Suzan DelBene, Laura Ruderman and others.
Other races:
Lieutenant Governor
State Secretary
State Auditor
Attorney General
More info on the 2012 Primary Elections
