Ballots have been coming into the Clark County Elections office in a trickle, not a flood.
As of Monday morning, about 44,405 of Clark County’s 260,448 registered voters had returned their ballots, according to the county elections office. That’s a 17.05 percent turnout.
Clark County did see a bump in turnout on Monday, with about 9,500 voters returning their ballots. In contrast, about 6,500 people submitted their ballots the Monday before Election Day in 2012.
“We had a strong return today and are hoping for more of the same tomorrow,” Auditor Greg Kimsey said.
Turnout was similarly slow statewide, with the Secretary of State’s office reporting a 14.3 percent voter turnout after the weekend. A spokesman from the office called turnout “tepid” in a news release.
“Every voter has a stake in choices we make together about finalists for governor and other statewide officials, our closely-divided Legislature, the U.S. Senate and Congress, the courts and local races and issues,” Secretary of State Kim Wyman said in a statement. “This is important work of self-government, and we shouldn’t leave it to ‘the other guy.’ ”
Ballots must be postmarked by today, or they can be turned in at any of several dozen voter drop-off locations before 8 p.m tonight.
Many of Clark County’s elementary schools and churches will accept ballots beginning at 7 a.m. A full list of locations is available in the local voter’s pamphlet or at clark.wa.gov.
Ballots can also be left in one of five red ballot drop-off boxes. They are at:
• Battle Ground City Hall, 109 S.W. First St., Battle Ground.
• Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, 3510 S.E. 164th Ave., Vancouver.
• Downtown Vancouver, West 14th and Esther streets, Vancouver.
• Downtown Camas Post Office, 440 N.E. Fifth Ave., Camas.
• 99th Street Transit Center, 9700 N.E. Seventh Ave., Vancouver.
Follow the Election HashtagColumbian reporters Kaitlin Gillespie, Lauren Dake, Patty Hastings and Andy Matarrese will deliver full election coverage all day Tuesday online and on social media. Use #ClarkElex to follow along and join the conversation on Twitter.
