Spokane County elections officials are sending out ballots today and tomorrow [Thursday and Friday] for the November 5 general election.
People can register to vote every day until Election Day.
County Auditor Vicky Dalton says her office is putting a little more than 329,000 ballots in the mail. She says it’s a fairly lengthy ballot. Most of the county’s towns and cities have local races for city councils and special taxing districts.
There are also several ballot measures.
The city of Spokane has two propositions, one to forbid a local income tax. The other would require all collective bargaining negotiations involving city employees to be open to the public.
The Mead, Cheney and West Valley School Districts all have propositions on the ballot, as do the town of Spangle and the Rosalia Park and Recreation District.
And there are 15 Washington state measures. They include Initiative 976. That would reduce state motor vehicle license fees to $30 and limit the authority of taxing districts to impose some vehicle taxes and fees. Referendum 88 would allow the state to implement affirmative action policies, without the use of quotas or preferential treatment in public education, employment and contracting. Senate Joint Resolution 8200 would amend Washington’s constitution to allow the state to invoke so-called “catastrophic incidents” in the process of declaring emergencies.
There are also a dozen advisory votes related to actions taken this year by the legislature. You can go to the Secretary of State’s website to read more about those.
Dalton says people can register to vote and change addresses online until October 28. After that, they must go to their county elections office or to a designated vote center. There’s only one of those in Spokane County, at Center Place in the Valley.
Your ballot must be submitted or post marked by November 5.