WA State Voter Turnout Just Under 20 Percent, So Far

With no statewide ballot measures, and it being an 'off' election year, election officials across the state sometimes expect lower turnout, but so far, it's very low.

Statewide turnout just over 15 percent

According to information from the Secretary of State's office, voter turnout as of Monday, November 6th was 15.93 percent. The Center Square reports 769,155 ballots out of 4.83 million registered voters have been returned so far.

These numbers will no doubt increase as mail-in and other drop-off ballots are received. As long as a ballot is postmarked before 8PM November 6h it will be eligible for counting.

Some of the turnout rates are rather flat. There are an estimated 3,000 local races, ranging from school board to city council seats, port commissioners, county commissioners, and more.

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Some areas are also voting on special measures, including the Public Safety Tax renewal in Benton County. Spokane will choose a Mayor, with the race between incumbent Nadine Woodward and former Commerce Director Lisa Brown.

Richland School Board seats are up for grabs, and Seattle voters will determine whether to pass a tax that would reportedly be used to build several thousand 'affordable' housing units.

You can see ballot return rates in all of the state's 39 counties by clicking here. Some of the return rates in notable counties include:

Benton 15.95 percent
Franklin 12.35 percent
Yakima 13.58 percent
Spokane 22.37 percent
Pierce 11.4 percent
King 14.49 percent
Snohomish 13.5 percent
Clark 12 percent

So far, the highest return rate is in tiny Columbia County (Dayton) at 29.93 percent, Garfield (the smallest county population-wise, Pomeroy the county seat) at 28.52 percent.

The lowest is Pierce County's 11.3 percent.