Deadline Aug. 5 to return your primary election ballot

The deadline to turn in your ballots for the Aug. 5 primary election is just around the corner.

The primary ballot features important local races for county, city, school and fire districts.

The August primary helps narrow the field of candidates. In each race, the top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election. Partisan offices, such as county council, always appear on the primary ballot even if only one or two candidates file. Most nonpartisan races only appear on the primary ballot if three or more candidates file for a position.

Voters may notice that their ballot materials look a bit different this election. These changes are part of Snohomish County Elections’ ongoing efforts to ensure voters have a positive voting experience, according to a news release announcing the ballot mailing.

“We’re always working to improve the process for voters,” said County Auditor Garth Fell. “This year, we’ve reformatted the local voters’ pamphlet layout to a more user-friendly booklet format. We’ve also reduced the number of inserts included in your ballot packet and added more personalized instructions to help streamline the information provided.”

Another notable change is the removal of the stub at the top of the ballot that voters previously had to detach before returning their ballots. “These changes are all designed to simplify the voting process and make it easier for voters to participate,” Fell added.

In-person voter services, including registering to vote, updating an existing registration, obtaining a new or replacement ballot, and using accessible voting equipment, will be available until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 5, at the Auditor’s Office in Everett or at an accessible voter services location. For hours of operation and addresses of accessible voter services locations, refer to the local voters’ pamphlet or the county’s website.

There will be 35 official ballot drop boxes open for the August primary. Ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on election day and are a convenient and secure option for voters to return their ballots. A complete list of ballot drop box locations can be found in the local voters’ pamphlet and at bit.ly/SnoCo_dropbox.

Additionally, voters can return their ballots postage-free by mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Aug. 5 to count. To ensure timely delivery, voters are advised to check the mail collection times listed on the outside of the USPS postal box to confirm that their ballot will be processed by the U.S. Postal Service by the Aug. 5 deadline.

For more information, visit Snohomish County Elections’ website at snoco.org/elections. You can also connect with the Auditor’s Office on Facebook,Instagram and X. If you have additional questions, email Snohomish County Elections at elections@snoco.org.