Welcome to Skagit County

February 1st, 2008

BALLOTS ARE OUT FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND LOCAL SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL ELECTIONS
Five new ballot drop-boxes available for those who wish to save a stamp

SKAGIT COUNTY – Ballots for the Presidential Primary in Washington State in addition to nine school levies from seven school districts, one bond election and a ballot issue for Hospital District 1 were mailed from the Skagit County Auditor’s Office this week.

The ballots were mailed on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. If you do not receive a ballot within a few days after the mailing please call 336-9305. This election, a number of new permanent drop-off sites have been established for those who do not wish to mail in their ballot.

The locations are:

Anacortes City Library
Burlington – the old City Hall (the new Parks and Recreation Building)
La Conner Library
Sedro-Woolley Post Office
Concrete Upriver Community Resource Center

The Presidential Primary is a unique election that may happen in Washington State once every four years. The reason for the primary is to assist the major political parties in the selection of their Presidential candidates to their national conventions and to encourage candidates for President to visit our state, according to Skagit County Auditor Jeanne Youngquist.

Some rules that apply to this election in regard to the Presidential Primary are that the voter must choose to vote Democratic or Republican by checking one party oath and signing on the envelope before the vote can be counted. Should a voter choose not to participate in the Presidential Primary, votes will still be counted for the non-partisan local issues as long as the envelope is signed by the voter.

Voters can participate in a party caucus and the Presidential Primary as long as they participate on behalf of the same party. The caucuses will be on February 9, 2008. Please contact the parties for further caucus information.

It is too late for this election, but Auditor JeanneYoungquist would also like to encourage citizens who are not registered to vote to do so online at www.vote.wa.gov