2014 Voter Turnout – Are Benton, Franklin Counties on ‘Wall of Shame?’

Statewide, voter turnout was low, and while it's expected during off-year or mid-term elections (those in between Presidential elections) it's still pretty pathetic.

While some of Washington state's 39 counties had great turnout, others deserve a spot on the Wall of Shame.    According to Thursday's data from the Washington State Secretary of State voter information website, some of us need to exercise our civic duty a LOT BETTER.

Here's the counties which belong on the Wall of Pride.  The county,  and it's county seat:

• Jefferson County (Port Townsend) 68% turnout
• Columbia County (Dayton) 67% turnout
• Lincoln County (Davenport-S.E. of Spokane) 65% turnout
• Adams County (Ritzville) 55% turnout (not bad!)
• Grant County  (Ephrata) 56% turnout

And now, for the Wall of Shame.  Counties where  many people were sitting home on the couch, too busy eating leftover Halloween candy to exercise their right to voice their opinion.

• Snohomish County 26%  turnout  (THE Lowest in the entire state)
• Stevens County  27%  turnout
• King County  33% turnout
• Whitman County  (Walla Walla area) 33% turnout
• Yakima County  34% turnout
• Franklin County (YES) 34.3% turnout
• Benton County (!) 34.4% turnout

The overall state average was a paltry 36.6%.  IN other words, out of over 3,921,000 registered voters, only just over 1,435,000 bothered to fill out their ballot and return it.   That means, you're letting THOSE people decide rules, regulations, restrictions and elect candidates who affect YOUR life.

So next election year,  Southeast WA and Tri-Cities, let's do better!    Don't be a slacker!  Show those clowns on the West side we mean business - regardless of your stand on the issues.  We often hear people complain about how the West Side dominates policy.

Well, if voter turnout had been at least 10% higher in the Wall of Shame counties,  and maybe 5% higher in other Eastern Washington areas where the turnout was in the 40's percentage-wise,  most of the ballot initiatives would have gone the other way...think about that.