Summer is here and the voters are sparse

Voting is a powerful weapon in a democracy but most people don't use it in a primary election. In spite of mailers, TV ads and constant political hype, there's just something unsexy about casting ballots in August -- or, in the old days, September for that matter. Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Weikel predicts a whopping 44 percent of qualified voters will take part in Tuesday's primary. If the past is any indication, two things will be notable about those who participate: More than half will be 55 and older, and more women than men will cast a ballot.

The charts at right show the pattern. We've also posted them in PDF format, below the images.

It's not too late

If you're mailing your ballot, it must be postmarked no later than Tuesday to be counted. You also can put ballots in a drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday. For a list of locations go to www.snoco.org/elections.

Where to learn more about voting this year

Snohomish County Elections
Washington Secretary of State elections and voting
Washington Public Disclosure Commission
Federal Elections Commission