Voter turnout lags in final week. Fewer than 1-in-10 Tri-Citians have voted
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tri-Cities return rate: about 16,000 of 185,000 voters, or 9%, have returned ballots.
- Franklin County shows 1.6% of ballots challenged, pending signature verification.
- Local measures include Richland City Council charter, school levy and fire district levy.
Fewer than 1-in-10 registered voters in the Tri-Cities region has returned their ballots so far for the Nov. 4 general election.
That’s according to ballot return numbers updated Monday evening by the Washington Secretary of State’s Office. About 16,000 of the 185,000 voters in both Benton and Franklin counties, or about 9%, had filled out their ballot and returned them by drop box or mail.
That’s on track with returns across Washington state. About 9% of the 5.1 million voters in local elections across the state have returned their ballots.
Compared with 2021 returns around the same time, about 2,000 more voters in Benton County and 120 more voters in Franklin County had voted.
Franklin County has the state’s third-highest rate of challenged ballots, with about 1.6% yet to be tallied because of a lack of signature or mismatch with a signature on record.
Nearly 130 local candidates are running this fall for local seats on city councils, school boards, port commissions, fire district boards and hospital district commissions.
- Voters within Richland city limits will decide on a charter amendment to reform its city council voting system into a mix of neighborhood and at-large representation.
- In the Kiona-Benton City School District, a decision will be made on whether to pass an operations levy that funds sports, nurses, technology and teachers.
- Franklin County Fire Protection District No. 1 is also asking voters to pass a levy lift to help pay for fire operations and emergency services.
- Statewide, Washington voters will weigh in on a constitutional amendment allowing the state to invest revenues from the long-term cares program payroll tax in similar fashion to pensions and college savings funds.
The Benton County Elections Division is encouraging voters to use any of its official ballot drop box to submit their votes for the Nov. 4 election. They’re open 24 hours through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing ballots at least a week before Nov. 4 to guarantee a timely postmark, particularly in the Tri-Cities where mail is sent to Spokane to be processed.
Elections officials recommend returning ballots to a drop box if it’s within a week of the election.
Benton County drop boxes
- Benton County Election Center — 7122 W. Okanogan Place, Bldg. F
- Benton County Campus — 7122 W. Okanogan Place
- Benton City — City Hall 1009 Dale Ave.
- Prosser Courthouse — 620 Market Street
- Kennewick City Hall — 524 S. Auburn Street (Directly across from the Post Office)
- Finley Middle School — 37208 S. Finley Road
- Badger Mountain Community Park — Keene Road
- Jefferson Park — Symons Street
- West Richland Library — 3803 W. Van Giesen Street
- West Richland City Hall — 3100 Belmont Blvd.
Franklin County drop boxes
- Franklin County Auditor’s Office — 1016 North 4th Ave.
- Franklin County Courthouse Parking Lot — 1016 North 4th Ave.
- HAPO Center — 6600 Burden Blvd.
- Franklin County Elections Center — 116 North 3rd Ave.
- Franklin Fire Protection District No. 3 — 2108 Road 84.
- Connell PUD Shop — 619 West Clark Street.
- Mesa City Hall — 103 Franklin Street.
- Franklin Fire Protection District No. 2 — 115 North Violet Ave.
