By this measure, Whatcom voters are outpacing state voters in this record election year
Nearly 1 in 4 Whatcom County voters have returned their ballots through Tuesday, Oct. 20, for the Nov. 3 general election, a pace that’s far ahead of the 2016 presidential race.
“That’s huge,” Auditor Diana Bradrick told The Bellingham Herald in an interview. “In 2016, we got 50,000 to 60,000 ballots in the two weeks leading up to the election, and now we have almost 40,000.”
Some 15,700 ballots were received through Monday, Oct. 19, a number that’s triple the number of ballots received on the first weekend of voting in 2016.
“We hope that trend continues because it makes sure those ballots are in the count on election night,” Bradrick said.
Ballots are verified and scanned as they are received, but the tally isn’t run until the polls close, she said.
Voters can register online through Oct. 26 and can register in person until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Statewide, voters are returning their ballots much earlier than in previous years, too, with 17.6% of the state’s more than 4.8 million voters already having cast their votes two weeks before Election Day, according to The Associated Press.
The secretary of state’s office reported that as of Tuesday 848,365 ballots have been returned. In 2016, just 6.2% of ballots had been returned in the same timeframe.
This year’s early turnout comes after the vote-by-mail state saw its highest primary turnout in more than five decades, with 55% of registered voters participating in the August election, leading election officials to prepare for record turnout that could surpass the previous record of 84.6% in 2008.
Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman has said counties should be prepared for a potential turnout of up to 90%.
In addition to voting for president and weighing in on 10 congressional races, voters will also decide on several statewide races including governor and lieutenant governor, scores of legislative races and a ballot measure on sex education.
Voters have until 8 p.m. Nov. 3 to drop their ballot at a drop box or, if they mail it, it must be postmarked by Election Day.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 12:18 PM.
