Time’s up. Voters decide 112 Mid-Columbia election contests Tuesday

Mid-Columbia voters will decide the outcome of 57 ballot contests in Benton County and 55 in Franklin on Tuesday.

Ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. to be counted. Drop boxes will remain open until 8 p.m.

The 2017 election is a mostly local affair featuring nonpartisan races for city councils, school boards, fire protection districts, port commissions and the like.

Pasco residents have a chance to weigh in on a new election scheme designed to improve minority representation on the council.

In Richland, the 2017 city council election is serving as a referendum on the city’s $20 car tab fees to pay for infrastructure projects, including the Duportail bridge and pavement maintenance.

There several funding requests as well.

The Pasco School District is seeking approval of a construction bond, while the Kennewick Public Facilities District is asking for a sales tax increase to expand the Three Rivers Convention Complex and create the Link.

The city of Connell is asking to increase the sales tax to pay for transportation projects.

The region’s hottest race is a special election to complete the term of former Benton County Sheriff Steve Keane, who retired this year.

Acting Sheriff Jerry Hatcher and Kennewick police Sgt. Ken Lattin are duking it out for the right to serve out the last year of Keane’s term and to run as an incumbent in 2018.

In Benton County, ballots can be dropped off at:

• the county courthouse, 620 Market St., Prosser;
• Benton City city hall, 708 Ninth St.;
• West Richland City Clerk, 3805 W. Van Giesen St.;
• West Richland Municipal Service Facilities, 3100 Belmont Blvd.;
• Jefferson Park, 176 Symons St., Richland;
• Auditor’s Richland Annex, 101 Wellsian Way;
• Auditor’s Kennewick Annex, 5600 W. Canal Drive;
• and Kennewick City Hall, 210 W. Sixth Ave.

In Franklin County, ballots may be dropped off at:

• Fire Protection Dist No. 3, 2108 Road 84, Pasco;
• Election Center, 116 N. Third Ave., Pasco;
• TRAC, 6600 Burden Blvd.; the county courthouse, 1016 N. Fourth Ave.;
• and the Connell PUD shop, 619 W. Clark St.

Watch tricityherald.com for election news when the results start coming out after 8 p.m.

This story was originally published November 6, 2017 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Time’s up. Voters decide 112 Mid-Columbia election contests Tuesday."