New Ballot Box at Olympia City Hall

Above: A new ballot box was dedicated at Olympia City Hall on Tuesday.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Thurston County ballot boxes are now open and available to take your ballot. 

The primary election is August 1 and ballots began to be mailed out Wednesday. Almost three-fourths of registered voters in Thurston County use a drop box to cast their vote, said Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall.

Hall and other elected officials were on hand Tuesday to dedicate a new drop box, located in front of Olympia City Hall at 601 Fourth Avenue. The county now has 27 drop boxes.

“Access to voting strengthens our democracy, and my goal as county auditor is to break down barriers and make sure it’s easy for citizens to cast their vote,” she said.

In an interview after the dedication, Hall said that there are about 175,000 registered voters in Thurston County. 

Unfortunately, more than two thirds of voters will choose, forget, or delay until it's too late, and not vote this election. For those who have not registered, the deadline to do so is July 24.

Hall encouraged voters to check out the candidates.

“We have a lot of primaries, which is really exciting – the most we’ve ever had. People are stepping up to run,” she said.

Above: Eleven candidates running for Olympia City Council Positions 4, 5, 6, and 7 met community members at Little General Food Shop on June 5 in downtown Olympia. The cities of Tumwater and Lacey and Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey school districts also have primary races on the ballot.

Left to right: Daniel Marsh, Allen Miller, Lisa Parshley, Michael Snodgrass, Clark Gilman, Heather Wood, Renata Rollins, Max Brown, and Deborah Lee. Councilmembers Jeannine Roe and Jim Cooper, who are both running for re-election, were unable to attend the event due to a council related meeting. 

In a ceremony on Monday, Hall and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson honored 100 people who have a record of voting for 50 years or more.

Two had voted for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

For more information, or to receive a voter’s pamphlet, go to www.thurstonvotes.org, or email elections@co.thurston.wa.us or call (360) 786-5408. The Thurston County Auditor’s Office is located at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Olympia.

Above: Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall and Olympia city council members pose in front of the new ballot box at City Hall. 

Left to right: Councilmember Nathaniel Jones, Councilmember Jim Cooper, Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall, Councilmember Jeannine Roe, Mayor Cheryl Selby, Councilmember Julie Hankins, Councilmember Jessica Bateman, and Councilmember Clark Gilman.