Voters slow to return Tri-Cities ballots. Just 1 in 5 returned by election eve
With 24 hours until the election deadline, only about one in five registered Tri-Cities area voters had returned their ballots for the Aug. 6 primary.
About 21% of the 128,000 voters in Benton County and 16% of Franklin County’s 45,000 voters had voted so far, according to Monday afternoon data from the Washington Secretary of State’s Office.
Those numbers are down compared with the 2020 primary.
Despite there being 17,000 more voters in Benton and Franklin today than there were four years ago, over 11,000 fewer people had voted.
The day before the election in 2020 about 46,500 ballots had been returned. On Monday, nearly 34,900 ballots had been cast.
Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton characterized returns to that point as a “less than desirable showing.”
“Please vote,” Beaton said. “I think people know more about the voting process now than in the past three decades. It’s been so front and center.”
More than 4.8 million voters across Washington will weigh in on local, state and federal races and ballot measures on Tuesday.
Several state executive offices are up for reelection, including the governor’s office which has attracted 28 candidates. All 10 congressional seats are up for grabs, as well as one of Washington’s two seats in the U.S. Senate.
Additionally, Tri-City voters will vote on races in the 8th, 14th and 16th Legislative districts, as well as three partisan county commission races and an advisory vote on cannabis retail in West Richland.
The two candidates who receive the most votes during the primary will move on to the Nov. 5 general election. Winners in that election will take office.
Primary voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to return their ballot to a county certified drop box. Voters also have until then to update their registration or register to vote for the first time but they must do that in person at their local elections office.
Watch for full election results online starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday at tricityherald.com.
Where to return your Benton County ballot
- Benton County Courthouse: 620 Market Street, Prosser.
- Benton City City Hall: 1009 Dale Ave., Benton City.
- West Richland Library: 3803 West Van Giesen Street, West Richland.
- West Richland City Hall: 3100 Belmont Blvd., West Richland.
- Jefferson Park: 1400 George Washington Way, Richland.
- WSU Tri-Cities: 2770 Crimson Way, Richland.
- Benton County Voting Center: 2600 North Columbia Center Blvd, Richland.
- Badger Mountain Community Park: 350 Keene Road, Richland.
- Benton County campus: 7122 West Okanogan Place, Kennewick.
- Kennewick City Hall: 210 West 6th Ave., Kennewick.
- Finley Middle School: 38208 South Finley Road, Kennewick.
Where to return your Franklin County ballot
- Franklin County Courthouse and Auditor’s Office: 1016 North 4th Ave., Pasco.
- HAPO Center: 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.
- Franklin County Elections Center: 116 North 3rd Ave., Pasco.
- Franklin County Fire District 3: 2108 Road 84, Pasco.
- Franklin PUD, Connell Shop: 619 West Clark Street, Connell.
- Mesa City Hall: 103 Franklin Street, Mesa.
- Franklin County Fire District 2: 115 North Violet Ave., Kahlotus.
This story was originally published August 5, 2024 at 6:46 PM.
