#4ThePeople: Spokane Election Office preparing for ‘Decision Day’ on Tuesday

August 1, 2022 5:31 PM

Posted: Aug 1, 2022 5:31 PM

Updated: August 1, 2022 6:20 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. — “Decision Day” is on August 2 for the primary election.

The Spokane County Elections Office has been getting boxes filled with ballots all day in preparation of the final count.

The Spokane County Elections Office says they have gotten more than 85,000 ballots so far, which is just over 23 percent of voters. With local ballots coming over the last few weeks, it has been a hectic time for the office.

“It’s a two-week process before the election to process all the incoming mail,” Mike McLaughlin, Spokane County Elections Manager, said. “We will process every day and those are all scanned waiting for to get results next day. At 8:15 tomorrow night, all the results and hard work will be out there.”

McLaughlin says fewer voters have turned out so far compared to the last midterm election for the primary, which saw 50 percent of voters.

“It’s trending a little lower than what we expect so, it depends on what comes over the weekend,” McLaughlin said. “People are waiting so it will go up, so it’s hard guessing every election is different behaviors and different patterns.”

McLaughlin also says it depends on what is on the ballot.

The elections staff will be at the voter service centers in downtown Spokane and Spokane Valley to make sure your vote counts.

“We are all centered on customer service tomorrow,” McLaughlin said. “We want to get people in and get them ballot and get on moving as quickly as possible. You don’t want them standing in line and anything that way”

McLaughlin says the election will not be certified until August 16, as there will be extra days to allow for more counting.

If you are using a dropbox, be sure to turn in your ballots before 8 pm on Tuesday night. If you decide to mail your ballot, you must postmark it by Election Day.

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