County ballot mailout at 22,229

Total count of general election ballots which hit the mail Friday for voters in Whitman County was 22,229. The ballots were actually be mailed out by a contractor in Seattle that has been hired for the task because of staff shortages in the auditor's election office here.

The Nov. 7 general election is the state election for towns, schools, fire districts and other small entities in the county.

The mailings will include 141 versions of the ballot which will go to voters in different districts. Two state advisory measures and the Port of Whitman seat held by appointee Kristine Meyer, now the lone candidate, are the lone measures which will be on all ballots in the county.

Ballots returned by mail must have the Nov. 7 post mark at the latest. Voters can also place their ballots in collection boxes up until 8 p.m., the official closing time for the polls.

New residents of the state or first-time voters can still register and vote in the election up until Oct. 30.

A representative of the Secretary of State's office was at the county's election office Oct. 19 to check logic and accuracy of the tabulating machines in preparation for the election. Party officials were advised of the visit in the event they would want to monitor the process.

The mail-out of general election ballots totals 4,658 more than the count of ballots mailed out for the August primary election. Total for that mail-out was 17,571.

Much of the increase reflects the return of WSU students to campus. Also, voter registration drives have been conducted in the county.

Final return count of primary ballots totaled 3,644 for a voter turnout of 20.98 percent.