With ballots for primary elections across Washington being due by Tuesday, we hope that 2020 was a harbinger.
Four years ago, turnout for the August primary skyrocketed in Clark County. More than 51 percent of registered local voters turned in a ballot, marking a sharp increase from previous elections. Throughout the 2000s, primary elections during presidential years never surpassed 36 percent — until 2020.
“It felt very much like a presidential general election,” Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, the top local elections official, said at the time. “That’s fantastic.”
It is, indeed, fantastic. Democracy works only if citizens are engaged and have faith in the system. And despite unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, Clark County elections are conducted with integrity and transparency.
But there is plenty of room for improvement in local turnout numbers. Although Washington conducts presidential primaries separately from other primaries (this year’s presidential vote was in March), there are important positions up for a vote next week.
In Washington’s top-two primary system, two candidates for each office will advance to the November general election — regardless of party affiliation.
But getting your favorite candidate — or candidates from your preferred party — into the general election depends on turning in a ballot. Ballots must be delivered to a secure ballot box (22 permanent boxes are spread throughout the county) or placed in a mailbox and postmarked by Tuesday.
For those who have questions or concerns about the process for collecting and processing ballots, the Clark County Elections Office provides a detailed video explanation on its website.
But filling out — and signing — a ballot is only part of the task facing Clark County’s registered voters. The Columbian’s Editorial Board also expects that voters will be well-versed in the candidates and the issues in order to cast an informed ballot.
The Columbian’s newsroom has provided coverage of key races over the past several months, and the Editorial Board has conducted interviews in order to provide recommendations for readers.
For the primary, we met with candidates in local races that have more than two candidates. Videos of those interviews are posted unedited online. Editorials explaining our recommendations are available at Columbian.com.
For state executive positions and local races with only two candidates (meaning both will advance to the general election), we will invite the contenders for interviews following the primary election.
In the meantime, here is a recap of our recommendations for Tuesday’s primary election:
- 3rd Congressional District: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D) or Leslie Lewallen (R).
- 17th Legislative District Representative, Pos. 2: Terri Niles (D) or David Stuebe (R).
- 18th Legislative District, Senate: Greg Cheney (R) or Adrian Cortes (D).
- 18th Legislative District Representative, Pos. 2: John Zingale (D) or Philip L. Johnson (R).
- 49th Legislative District, Representative, Pos. 2: Monica Jurado Stonier (D) or Russell Barber (R).
- Clark County Council, District 3: Wil Fuentes or John Jay (nonpartisan position).
- Clark County Council, District 4: Matt Little or Dorothy Gasque (nonpartisan position).
- Public Utilities Commissioner, District 1: Chris Thobaben or Sherry Erickson. James Oneil also is a strong candidate (nonpartisan position).
