Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Office of the Secretary of State has released a 2016 General Election fact sheet, now that the state primaries are finished and certified.
The one page fact sheet is available on the Office of the Secretary of State website and includes turnout prediction, offices on the ballot, measures on the ballot and key dates.
The turnout prediction, based on 2008 and 2012 turnout, is 82 percent. Offices which will be on the ballot include U.S. President and Vice President, U.S. Senator, 10 U.S. representative races, Washington state Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Public Lands, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, 25 state senator races, three supreme court justices, six court of appeals judges, 192 superior court judge races and various local offices and ballot measures.
The statewide measures on the ballot, which have all now been certified, include I-1433, which would increase minimum wage to $13.50; I-1464, concerning campaign finance laws and lobbyists; I-1491, concerning court-issued extreme risk protection orders that would temporarily prevent access to firearms; I-1501, concerning protection of seniors and vulnerable individuals; I-732, concerning carbon emission taxes; I-735, a proposed amendment to the federal constitution; Senate Joint Resolution 8210, concerning a constitutional amendment on the deadline for completing state legislative and congressional redistricting; Advisory Vote No. 14, insurance premium tax to some insurance for stand-alone family dental plans, and Advisory Vote No. 15, limitations on the retail sales and use tax exemptions for clean alternative-fuel vehicles.
The General Election key dates start approaching in September, with the first date being Sept. 24, the deadline for election officials to mail military and overseas ballot for the election. Sept. 26-30 is billed as College Civics Week, and Sept. 27 is National Voter Registration Day. Moving into October, Oct. 8 is the day voters' pamphlet residential delivery begins. Oct. 10 is the deadline to update voter registration or register by mail or online. The 18-day voting period begins Oct. 21, with ballots hitting the mail. Oct. 24-28 is student mock election week, and Oct. 31 is the last day to register for the election in person.
Nov. 8 is election day, and ballots must be returned or postmarked to elections offices by this day. County canvassing boards will certify the election results Nov. 29, and Dec. 8 is the last day for the Secretary of State to certify the results. The Electoral College will meet at the Capitol Dec. 19.
More information about offices, candidates and measures on the ballot can be found at the Secretary of State website. The one-page fast fact sheet can be found there, too.
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