Local voters returning ballots at faster rate than County as a whole

By Evan Smith

Local voters are returning ballots for the Tuesday primary at a slightly higher rate than voters throughout King County, but voter turnout here and elsewhere is running behind expectations.

Voters in the King County part of the 32nd Legislative District – Shoreline and part of northwest Seattle – had a ballot return rate of 15.79 percent through Friday afternoon, compared to a countywide turnout of 15.33 percent.

The ballot return rate also was higher than the County average in the 46th Legislative District, which includes Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and northeast Seattle. Turnout in the 46th District was 15.60 percent – slightly lower than in the 32nd District. The 46th District has a hotly contested race for the seat held by retiring Democratic State Rep. Phyllis Kenny, Four Democrats, a Republican and an independent are running for the position, with the top two vote getters advancing to the Nov. 6 general election, regardless of party.

An elections official in Snohomish County said Thursday that the turnout there of 13.70 percent. was well below projections and added that he had heard similar stories from other counties.

Snohomish County elections officials had recorded 55,277 ballots as of Friday, 59 percent of the 69,589 ballots recorded through the Friday before the 2010 primary, which was two weeks earlier in August.