(The Center Square) – Voters across Washington should start seeing ballots arriving in their mailboxes later this week for the Nov. 7 general election. It’s an odd-year election, meaning the focus will be on thousands of positions on city councils, school boards, port and hospital districts, rural fire commissions and more.
There are no statewide candidates or measures on the ballot, but nine contested judicial positions are listed in different regions, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s Office.
Friday marks the official start of Washington’s 18-day voting period that continues up to 8 p.m. on Election Day. To be counted, ballots must be postmarked by that time and date or delivered to drop boxes or county election offices. However, the U.S. Postal Service recommends submitting mail ballots several days before that deadline.
Unregistered persons age 18 and older who want to participate in the upcoming election can register to vote by mail or online through Oct. 30. They can also sign up to vote in person at their county election office until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
The Washington Secretary of State’s office has online quick links to data and resources for the upcoming election including registration information, results from past elections, fact sheets, and more. Drop box locations, ballot status, and voter guides are also available at VoteWA.gov or by contacting the local county auditor or elections office.
What voters see on their ballot depends on what’s happening in their communities. All local elective positions will be listed but some may feature only one candidate who filed unopposed or, more rarely, no candidates at all.
Virtually all of the elective positions are nonpartisan with most terms beginning Jan. 1, 2024.
According to the Secretary of State, there are nearly 3,100 different ballot races to be decided in November, including 1,061 city positions, 888 school board posts, 452 fire district commission seats, and over 650 other local positions for county, water, sewer, park, hospital, port, and cemetery districts. And one contested flood control district race.
Also, depending on location, voters will decide 128 different measures, such as levy or bond propositions, around the state.
As of Oct. 3, Washington has 4.82 million active registered voters eligible to cast ballots.
Future voters are not forgotten, either. In recognition of National Voter Education Week, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has invited all K-12 students and their teachers in Washington to participate in the 2023 Student Mock Election.
“This opportunity is great preparation for young Washingtonians to become aware and involved as soon as they’re eligible,” Hobbs said earlier this month in a press release. “I’m inviting educators throughout the state to use the Student Mock Election and help encourage lifelong participation in our democracy.”
Ballots, vote tabulation sheets, posters, voters’ pamphlets – even “I Voted” stickers – are available at sos.wa.gov/mockelection. The site also offers resources for teachers, including a free “Teaching Elections in Washington State” curriculum book and series of 30-45 minute lessons.
In this year’s “Mock Election — History Edition,” students can also vote on historical questions from past Washington elections, including which city should serve as the state capital (an 1890 election), whether to lower the state voting age (1970), and other milestone decisions.
A fun-filled alternate ballot, also downloadable, offers participants choices of favorite desserts or seasons, or whether to ban pineapple as a pizza topping. Vote tallies will be available through the Nov. 7 on the Mock Election website.
