Politics & Government

ELECTION 2011: What To Expect With This Year's Ballot In Pierce County

What is new in this year's Pierce County election?

Lauren Padgett's profile picture
Lauren Padgett, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
|

Mail-in ballots for Pierce County will be mailed today and registered voters will receive them in early August.

To kick off election season, here are some quick facts on this year’s election, courtesy of Pierce County.

 

Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Important Dates to Remember:

  • Registration deadline in-person (new voters only): Aug. 8

Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Election Day: Aug. 16, results at 8:15 p.m.

  • Canvassing Board Meeting: Aug. 26, 1 p.m.

  • Canvassing Board Meeting – Certification: Aug. 31, 11 a.m.

    •  

    Important Numbers:

    • Total registered voters: 412,294

    • Registered voters in this election: 366,522

    • Percentage of voters in this election: 88.9 percent

    • Number of precincts in this election: 323

  • Expected Turnout: 21 percent

  • 2009 Primary Election turnout: 19.23 percent

  • 2007 Primary Election turnout: 24.46 percent

    •  

    What’s on the ballot? Who’s voting?

    • The Primary Election is not countywide.

    • The Primary ballot contains races with three or more candidates.

    • Races with two or less candidates will be on the General Election ballot.

    • This is why many voters will only be voting on a few offices or issues in the primary.

    • Some voters will not vote at all in the primary.

     

    Jurisdictions with candidates or issues on the ballot:

    • Dupont

    • Milton

    • Orting

  • Puyallup

  • Sumner

  • Tacoma (District No. 1 only)

  • University Place

  • West Pierce Fire and Rescue No. 3

    •  

    Who’s not voting?

    • Auburn

    • Carbonado

    • Eatonville, McKenna and South Pierce County

  • Fife

  • City of Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula

  • Puyallup School District No. 3

  • Tacoma School District No. 10

  • Bethel School District No. 403

  • Central Pierce Fire and Rescue No. 6

  • Graham Fire and Rescue No. 21

  • East Pierce Fire and Rescue No. 22

  • Anderson Island Park and Recreation

  • Peninsula Metropolitan Park

  • Joint Base Lewis McChord

  • Pacific

  • South Prairie

  • Steilacoom

  • Wilkeson

    •  

    What’s New:

    • Vote-By-Mail

    • Polling places are closed.

    • For 17 percent of voters, this will be a big change.

  • A ballot will be mailed to each voter.

  • Mail (postage required) or drop off your ballot before August 16.

  • A notice is being sent to former poll voters asking them to update their signature.

    •  

    Express Booths

    • Express booths have been retired.

    • Expensive to staff, maintain, move and store.

    • Booths were breaking down after nearly two decades of use.

     

    Ballot Deposit Sites

    • 25 sites across the County.

    • Open 24/7.

    • No postage required.

    • All sites close 8 p.m. on Election Night.

     

    Voting Centers

    • The Vote-By-Mail legislation closed the polls.

    • Also required each county to establish voting centers.

    • Six voting centers across the County

    • Open Monday, August 15th and Tuesday August 16th 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

     

    Services provided:

    • Voter registration.

    • Accessible voting using a touch screen machine.

    • Provisional ballots.

  • Voter assistance.

  • Voting Centers are not polling places. They are locations to get special assistance with voting.

    •  

    “I voted” Stickers

    • Stickers are now provided in the voters’ pamphlet.

    Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

    We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

    More from University Place