Auditor explains:

Sandy Jamison

Whitman County Auditor

Why is Washington State holding a presidential

primary on March 10, 2020?

Back in March of 2019, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed legislation that would move the presidential primary in 2020 to March rather than August. It’s a move designed to make Washington, a frequently overlooked state with just 12 electoral votes, more relevant in the nominating process. Washington voters need their votes to actually “count” with regard to determining the top presidential candidate “vote-getter” in each party. In the past, because Washington’s presidential primary results weren’t counted until August and a majority of the states’ presidential primaries were held earlier in the calendar year, the numbers from Washington didn’t really affect the results – the top two candidates had already been determined nation-wide due to the electoral college votes.

The presidential primary in March is a nominating and “winnowing down” process which ends with the top candidate in each party being put on the November ballot.

Why must you declare a party when you

complete your Presidential Primary ballot?

Voters are required to mark and sign a party declaration per RCW 29A.56.050. Political parties, according to the US Supreme Court, have the right of association. This right allows them to limit those voting in their Primary to those who consider themselves to be party members.

We have a party declaration on our envelopes because our voters do not declare a political party when they register to vote, which is the way most states do it. In those states, voters do not have to sign a declaration because they did that when they registered to vote.

If there are any questions, contact Whitman County Auditor Sandy Jamison at 509-397-6270.