Today is Election Day with voters deciding if incumbent mayors survive the primary in Lynnwood and Mukilteo and if the sales tax goes up in Monroe and Arlington.
Ballots must be postmarked today or put in a drop box by 8 p.m. to be counted. They also can be dropped off at the Snohomish County Auditor’s office in Everett from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
There are 334,000 eligible Snohomish County voters for this primary.
But it is not a countywide election. Voters in most of Edmonds, Everett and Tulalip as well as some of the surrounding areas have no races or issues to vote on and did not receive a ballot for the primary.
This year’s primary includes partisan and nonpartisan races along with a handful of ballot measures.
In contests with three or more candidates, the top two vote-getters will move on to the general election in November.
The battle to succeed Republican County Councilman John Koster is one of the most crowded fields. There are five candidates seeking the seat: Republicans Gary Wright and Ken Klein, Democrats Bill Blake and Carsten Mullin, and Libertarian Sean Olson.
Lynnwood Mayor Don Gough and Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine are each seeking a third term and both men face multiple challengers. This means they will need to finish in the top two to have a shot at re-election.
In Lynnwood, current councilmen Loren Simmonds and Mark Smith, and Nicola Smith, a dean at Edmonds Community College, are vying against Gough.
In Mukilteo, current council members Jennifer Gregerson and Steve Schmalz are taking on Marine.
Meanwhile, Monroe voters are considering hiking the city’s sales tax by one-tenth of a penny to generate money for police services. If approved it would add a penny in tax to every $10 purchase and raise roughly $309,000 a year.
And in Arlington, there is a ballot measure to boost the city’s sales tax by two-tenths of a penny, or 2 cents tax on a $10 purchase. City officials estimate it will generate $650,000 a year for improvements, maintenance, repair and preservation of city streets. This tax hike would last 10 years.
More information on today’s election can be found online at www.snoco.org/elections or by calling the county elections office at 425-388-3444.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
Election Day
Voters may return their voted ballot postage-free to any one of 11 24-hour ballot drop box locations in Snohomish County until 8 p.m.
Ballots can also be dropped off at the County Auditor’s office, on the first floor of the Snohomish County Administration Building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. The office will be accepting ballots today from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Drop-boxes are at:
Arlington (near library), 135 N. Washington Ave.
Edmonds (near library), 650 Main St.
Everett (Courthouse Campus), Rockefeller Avenue and Wall Street.
Everett (at McCollum Park), 600 128th St. SE.
Lake Stevens (near the city boat launch), 1800 Main St.
Lynnwood (in front of City Hall), 19100 44th Ave.
Marysville (behind Municipal Court), 1015 State Ave.
Monroe (near library), 1070 Village Way.
Mukilteo (near library), 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd.
Snohomish (near library), 311 Maple Ave.
Stanwood (near library), 9701 271st St. NW.
For more information, go to www.snoco.org/elections or call 425-388-3444.
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