Ballot deadline for primary is today

Ballots have been coming into the Clark County Elections office in a trickle, not a flood.

As of Monday morning, about 44,405 of Clark County’s 260,448 registered voters had returned their ballots, according to the county elections office. That’s a 17.05 percent turnout.

Clark County did see a bump in turnout on Monday, with about 9,500 voters returning their ballots. In contrast, about 6,500 people submitted their ballots the Monday before Election Day in 2012.

“We had a strong return today and are hoping for more of the same tomorrow,” Auditor Greg Kimsey said.

Turnout was similarly slow statewide, with the Secretary of State’s office reporting a 14.3 percent voter turnout after the weekend. A spokesman from the office called turnout “tepid” in a news release.

“Every voter has a stake in choices we make together about finalists for governor and other statewide officials, our closely-divided Legislature, the U.S. Senate and Congress, the courts and local races and issues,” Secretary of State Kim Wyman said in a statement. “This is important work of self-government, and we shouldn’t leave it to ‘the other guy.’ ”

Ballots must be postmarked by today, or they can be turned in at any of several dozen voter drop-off locations before 8 p.m tonight.

Many of Clark County’s elementary schools and churches will accept ballots beginning at 7 a.m. A full list of locations is available in the local voter’s pamphlet or at clark.wa.gov.

Ballots can also be left in one of five red ballot drop-off boxes. They are at:

• Battle Ground City Hall, 109 S.W. First St., Battle Ground.

• Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, 3510 S.E. 164th Ave., Vancouver.

• Downtown Vancouver, West 14th and Esther streets, Vancouver.

• Downtown Camas Post Office, 440 N.E. Fifth Ave., Camas.

• 99th Street Transit Center, 9700 N.E. Seventh Ave., Vancouver.