Just 20% of ballots returned on 3 Tri-Cities election issues. What’s at stake?
Less than a quarter of registered voters in Richland, Benton City and Finley have so far returned ballots for the Feb. 11 special election.
Voters will decide whether to pass a new performing arts hall overlooking the Columbia River and to continue local funding for public schools.
Ballots must be returned to a county certified drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday.
To register to vote, transfer or update an existing registration, voters must make those changes by 8 p.m. Tuesday at Benton County Voting Centers, at either 620 Market Street in Prosser or 7122 West Okanogan Place on the county’s administrative campus in Kennewick.
Ballots were mailed out to registered voters Jan. 22.
As of Monday morning, just 10,500 of the 51,700 ballots sent out by the Benton County Elections Department had been returned, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s Office.
That’s about 20%.
Richland voters are being asked to help pay for an $81 million performance center with an 800-seat capacity near the Reach Museum at the Richland Wye.
Prop 1 would raise the local sales tax by two-tenths of 1%, or two cents on a $10 purchase. If approved, the 30-year tax will generate about $4 million a year from the start on taxable retail sales in Richland, where the current rate is 0.087.
The center would be a home for the arts and end a decades-long campaign to provide a permanent home for the region’s local arts organizations. Some critics argue the tax should support a venue with more seats.
▪ Nearby Kiona-Benton City School District and Finley School District are asking voters to renew their programs and operations levies for 2026 and 2027 to fund basic education, athletics, security improvements and other programs.
The two districts are asking for nearly $10 million in total funding.
Ki-Be’s two-year, $4.9 million replacement levy would fund athletics, music, technology support, special education, nurses, counselors and additional teachers to keep class sizes small. It would tax an estimated $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
▪ Finley’s two-year, $4.4 million replacement levy would cover teachers to keep class sizes small, support staff, school safety measures, instructional materials, special education, athletics, and building maintenance and operations. It would tax an estimated $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Additionally, Finley also is asking voters to pass a new two-year, $410,000 capital levy. It would tax about 23 cents on every $1,000 of assessed value, and fund the replacement of servers, laptops, hardware, software, firewalls and security cameras.
In order to pass, all Benton County ballot measures must obtain a simple majority of support from the voters. Initial elections results will be published after 8 p.m. on election night, and will be certified later on Feb. 21.
There are no issues on the ballot in Franklin County on Feb. 11.
