The seventh running of Washington’s Top 2 Primary gave voters the task of  winnowing the field of candidates for scores of state and local offices.

The system, used since a voter-approved Top 2 initiative got the green light from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008, lets voters collectively choose their two favorite candidates for each office to face off in the Nov. 4 General Election.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state’s chief elections official, urged a strong turnout, reminding voters that selecting finalists for the General Election is a crucial part of the process, and that many of our legislators, judges and local officials on the ballot will make decisions that affect our daily lives directly.

Here are some highlights and voter information compiled by state Elections Director Lori Augino.

Ballots

• Ballots must be postmarked or in ballot drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Election Night.
• To find a ballot drop box: visit www.MyVote.wa.gov
• Visit your County Auditor’s Office for a replacement ballot, or go online to www.MyVote.wa.gov
• If you are in line at a ballot drop box before 8 pm, you will be allowed to deposit your ballot.
• Don’t count on your post office to be open to get a postmark after regular business hours. If you wait until Election Day, use a ballot drop box instead.
• If you choose to mail your ballot on Election Day, make sure it is before the last collection time posted on the box.

 

State Voters’ Pamphlets

• To find out more about the candidates, visit our online voters’ guide at www.vote.wa.gov or your personalized Voters’ Guide at www.MyVote.wa.gov
• Contact your county for a local voters’ pamphlet (only available in some counties).
• After the Primary, you can expect the state General Election Voters’ Pamphlet to arrive by October 21.

 

Results

• Results will begin to post at www.vote.wa.gov after 8 p.m. on Election Night.
• Find the free results app “WA State Election Results” in iTunes or Google Play.
• Results will continue to be updated until certification.
• Results are not final until certified.  Districts within a single county will be certified on August 19 by the county.  Multiple-county districts races will be certified by the Secretary of State on August 22.

 

Hot Issues

• Wildfires continue to burn in Northeastern Washington. We’re expecting a small hit to turnout in these areas. The elections offices in the area are up, running, and fully functional with power, Internet, and phone services to all offices as of Monday.

 

• We have a packed ballot in the 4^th Congressional District race (replacing retiring Rep. Doc Hastings) with 12 candidates vying for a spot on the General Election ballot.

 

• The widest-open legislative contest is the one to replace Adam Kline in the Senate seat for the 37^th with 6 candidates on the ballot in the Primary.

• King County sealed envelopes

o   An estimated 5 percent of the ballots mailed contained pre-sealed return envelopes.

o   Voters should open the envelope, insert their ballot and seal it with tape before mailing or placing in a drop box.

o   King County will not reject ballots based on sealing with tape alone.

 

• Write-ins in single candidate races

o   All candidates must receive at least 1 percent of the total votes cast for an office and be one of the top two vote-getters to advance to the General Election.

o   If there is only one candidate in a race, a write-in candidate only needs 1 percent of the total votes cast to advance to the General Election.  This applies to both declared and undeclared write-in candidates.  (If there are 10,000 votes cast, 1 percent is 100)

o   Two write-in legislative candidates filed declarations with the Secretary of State—the 1^st and 16^th legislative districts. There may be others in single-county districts.

o   If a write-in candidate for a state office receives enough votes to advance to the General, the results will be posted on the OSOS website.  We will not post results for other write-in candidates.

o   Successful write-in candidates will also appear in the Voters Pamphlet.

o   If a regular candidate or declared write-in candidate loses in the Primary, they cannot run as a write-in candidate for the same position in the General.