Still have your primary ballot? Here’s how Thurston residents can still cast a vote
Residents can still vote on a host of local measures and narrow the field of candidates for various local positions in the Aug. 3 primary election.
About 17.4% of the 199,025 active Thurston County voters had turned in their ballots as of Friday, according to the county Auditor’s Office. During the last primary in 2019, about 15.4% of the 158,569 active voters at the time returned their ballots three days before the election.
Turnout percentages on election day have steadily increased from about 17.29% in 2015 to 21.37% in 2019, per historical data from the Auditor’s Office. In all, about 26.4% of those voters returned their ballots once the tally was completed about two weeks after the Aug. 6, 2019 election, the data show.
Ballots for the 2021 primary election were mailed on July 14, according to the Auditor’s Office. The last day for remote registrations and updates was July 26 but voters can still register or change their address in-person until 8 p.m. on election day.
There will be no voter services at the Thurston County Courthouse. Instead, the county moved its voting center to 2400 Evergreen Park Drive SW, according to an April news release.
At this new location, residents can register to vote in person and receive other services either in a public lobby or by using a drive-through. Replacement ballots and accessible voting devices also should be available.
Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday. If you are still holding on to your ballot on election day, you can drop it off at one of the county’s 29 drop boxes by 8 p.m, according to the official county voter guide.
The county’s voter guide details each measure and candidate and can be found on the Auditor’s Office website.
Four local measures are on the primary ballot. Voters can decide whether to increase the county’s regular property tax levy to fund Medic One, the county’s tiered, emergency medical service system.
The fire commission for Thurston County Fire Protection District 12, which represents South Thurston Fire and emergency medical services, is asking the public to authorize about $5.7 million in general obligation bonds to construct a new fire station.
Fire District 13 voters can decide whether to restore the 2021 regular property tax levy in 2022 to maintain fire and emergency medical service levels.
Meanwhile, the Southeast Thurston Fire Authority board of commissioners are asking voters to restore their regular property tax levy in 2022. Revenues from this levy lid lift would fund fire protection, prevention, emergency medical services and operation costs.
Positions on six local boards are also on the ballot. The top two vote-getters in each position will advance to the November general election.
Three candidates are vying for Port Commissioner District No. 3. Olympia residents can vote to narrow the field of candidates in four of the five open Olympia City Council positions. In Yelm, voters are asked to choose city council candidates in three positions.
Board directors are on the ballot for Olympia and Rochester school districts as well.
Lastly, voters in East Olympia’s Fire Protection District No. 6 can vote on fire commissioner position No. 2.
The Olympian will publish election results online. Full coverage of select races can be found at our Election section.
This story was originally published August 2, 2021 at 11:47 AM.
