Ballots for the Nov. 4 general election will be mailed this week in Okanogan County, and most will arrive by Friday (Oct. 17).
Candidates for local, regional, statewide and national offices will fill the ballots along with local and statewide measures or levy requests.
Okanogan is an all-mail ballot county. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, be signed, and have sufficient postage.
In the Methow Valley, voters will be deciding the fate of Proposition 1, which calls for a levy increase to support construction of a new fire station in Winthrop for Okanogan County Fire District 6 (see related story, page A1).
Running for the new position of elected county coroner are Dave Rodriguez and Gary V. Reams. In the only other contested race, for county assessor, incumbent Scott Furman is being challenged by Les V. Stokes to fill a four-year term.
In other county races, running unopposed for four-year terms are County Auditor Laurie Thomas, Clerk Charleen Groomes, District 3 County Commissioner Jim DeTro, Prosecuting Attorney Karl Sloan, Sheriff Frank Rogers and Treasurer Leah Mc Cormack.
Okanogan County District Court judges Heidi Smith and Charles Short are also running unopposed to fill four-year terms.
In the race to fill the District 1 seat on the Okanogan County Public Utility District board of commissioners, incumbent David Womack and Scott Vejraska are competing for the six-year term.
In the state’s 12th Legislative District, representatives Brad Hawkins and Cary Condotta are running unopposed to fill two-year terms. Both represent the Methow Valley.
Clint Didier and Dan Newhouse, both Republicans, are vying to fill the 4th Congressional District seat vacated by the retirement of longtime Congressman Doc Hastings.
Three initiatives — one affecting statewide funding for K-12 education, and two having to do with gun control — are on the ballot.
Four Washington Supreme Court positions are also up for election.
For questions about the election or about your ballot, call the Okanogan County auditor’s office at (509) 422-7240. The auditor’s office is at 149 Third Ave. N. in Okanogan. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
There will also be ballot boxes at several locations around the county where ballots can be dropped off on Election Day.
Oct. 27 is the last day for in-person registration to vote in the general election.
