It’s an odd-year election, which means many people will skip voting. Don’t be one of them! This November’s ballot is packed with local races — School Boards, City Councils, and Port and County Commissions — and those local officials control billions of your tax dollars.
Add up all the budgets overseen by this year’s candidates, and you get a jaw-dropping $1.68 billion — that’s about $9,636 for every registered voter in Benton and Franklin counties. Yet only 36 percent of voters typically cast a ballot in local elections. That means a tiny fraction of your neighbors are deciding how vast sums of public money get spent — on schools, roads, firefighters, police, parks, mental healthcare, and more.
It’s important to note that local elections are often decided by just a few hundred votes! Your ballot has far more power here than it ever does in a statewide or national race. When people who share your priorities show up and vote, your local government reflects your community’s values — red, blue, or otherwise.
We’ve all seen how high the stakes are: local headlines have featured everything from school board fights over pride flags, to county commissioners under investigation for witness tampering. These elections are your chance to swap out the bad eggs for some fresh ones.
Luckily, voting in Washington couldn’t be easier. If you’re a U.S. citizen, at least 18 by November 4, and registered, you’re good to go.
- Register or update your info online: https://olvr.votewa.gov by October 27.
- Print and mail a registration form: sos.wa.gov/elections.
- Or walk into your County Auditor’s Office right up through Election Day (November 4) to register.
If you are already registered to vote, ballots were mailed out to you on October 17. Drop them in any mailbox by October 28, or use a ballot drop box until 8 pm on Election Night, Tuesday, November 4.
- Benton County boxes: bentoncountywa.gov/pview.aspx?id=55334
- Franklin County boxes: franklincountywa.gov/215/Ballot-Drop-Box-Locations
You can track your ballot’s status any time at voter.votewa.gov.
Not sure who’s who on the ballot? Check your Voters’ Guide, or look up candidates online at www.vote411.org and in local papers like Tumbleweird, the Tri-City Herald, or La Voz. Ask your friends, teachers, or coworkers about the issues they care about. Democracy works better when we talk to each other.
So here’s the plan: get registered, get informed, and get that ballot in. Local government shapes your daily life — make sure it reflects your voice.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Don’t sit this one out!
