Benton County school levies, Pasco aquatics center counting on Tuesday’s election
With a few days until election day, nearly 19% of Benton County voters have already returned their ballots for the upcoming April 26 special election for school levies.
And in Pasco about 15.5% of ballots have been returned on a vote for a new public aquatics center and swimming pool.
Ballots in both counties must be postmarked by or before Tuesday. No postage is required for ballots returned through the U.S. Postal Service.
If ballots aren’t already in the mailbox, Amanda Hatfield, Benton County elections manager, recommends voters drop their ballots in a county-certified drop box to ensure it’s counted on time.
Hatfield said her department is expecting turnout to peak at 30%, similar to the February special election. A majority of ballots are expected to come by mail in the next couple days, she said.
So far about 12,680 ballots have been returned of the total 67,155 sent to eligible voters in this election.
In Benton County, more than $89 million in state and local funding for schools is on the line in Kennewick, Finley and Prosser after their operations levies failed to pass in February.
School district leaders say they’ll have to cut costs, such as programs and staff, if voters don’t approve the measures.
Levies help fund athletics, staff positions, special education and security on public school campuses.
Pasco aquatics measure
In Franklin County, Pasco voters are being asked to pass a 0.2% sales tax increase to pay for a new public aquatics center and swimming pool that would open in 2024.
The measure would tax about 2 cents on every $10 purchase, or 20 cents on every $100.
The $40 million, 25-year bond would help the city build the facility over multiple phases.
On Monday, the Pasco City Council voted 5-2 to support the measure. Councilmen Pete Serrano and David Milne opposed the measure.
“I’ve always been of the position that this should be private,” Serrano said.
Milne said he was largely against raising the city’s sales tax, suggesting the higher prices would drive shoppers to Kennewick and Richland.
“I believe that the voters in Pasco have made clear their position that they think this is important and that they think this is worth investing their dollars in — the sales tax — as they have so at the ballot before,” said Mayor Pro Tem Craig Maloney, voicing his support.
As of Friday morning, 5,218 of the 33,657 voters eligible in this election had returned their ballots.
Washington voters can still register to vote and update their registration by visiting their local auditor’s office in person before 8 p.m. on election day.
For a complete list of current Benton County ballot drop box locations go to: www.bentonelections.com. And in Franklin County go to bit.ly/Franklinboxes.
The Benton County Voting Center is at 2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Richland. The Franklin County Courthouse is at 1016 N. Fourth Ave. in Pasco.
