Columbia County General Election ballots go out this week

DAYTON–Ballots for the 2024 General Election will be mailed this week by the Columbia County Auditor's Elections Department. Ballots were to be mailed Wednesday, October 16, said Cathy Abel, Columbia County Elections Supervisor, and are due by 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, 2024.

Ballots may be delivered to the ballot boxes at the Columbia County Courthouse Auditor's Office, or the 24-hour drive-up drop box accessible in the Courthouse Alley off Commercial Avenue, or at the Ballot Box in Starbuck, Abel said. Ballots may also be mailed postage paid.

Abel requested that voters be sure to deliver or mail ballots as soon as voting is complete so that vote recording and signature verification can be done in a timely manner and not delay results.

She reminds voters that this election, state elections officials emphasize signature verification will be stringent this election. "Please sign your ballot the same way as when you registered to vote," Abel said. "If you're not sure, please come in and review your signature before signing."

According to the Voter's Pamphlet, signatures change over time and one's current signature may be "very different from the one you used when you registered to vote."

Local candidates on the ballot include County Commissioners Ryan R. Rundell, District 1, Republican, and Marty J. Hall, District 2, Republican, both running unopposed.

The Columbia County Park and Recreation Pool District is proposing Proposition No. 1, Operation Excess Levy Election. In 2023, voters approved formation of the district by ballot measure for the sole purpose of building, maintaining and operating a swimming pool, including its boundaries of Columbia County, excluding the Town of Starbuck and areas already covered by the Prescott Joint Parks and Recreation District. Levy authority was capped at 20¢ per $1,000 of assessed property value, to be collected in 2025. The levy amount is $200,000.

No statement against the levy was included in the local Voter's Pamphlet. Writing in favor were Monte Fulbright and Mike Fulbright. They point to swimming pools being an integral part of one's youth and a common facility in Dayton and other communities over the years. The pool is not a day care, they wrote, but a place to learn rules under a lifeguard's supervision, in addition to life skills and safety. Swimming skills may one day save a person's life. School physical fitness is another opportunity.

Judge Pos. 1 for superior courts in Asotin, Columbia and Garfield counties is Brooke J. Burns, NP, running unopposed.

Legislative District 9 Representative Mary Dye, Pos. 1, Republican and Patrick Miller, Democrat, are vying for the position; Rep. Joe Schmick, Republican, and Pam Kohlmeier, Democrat, are seeking State Representative Position 2, both for two-year terms. Senator Mark Schoesler, GOP, is unopposed for District 9 Senate seat four-year term.

State offices up for grabs include:

Governor (4-year term)-Bob Ferguson, Democrat, and Dave Reichert, Republican.

Lt. Governor (4-year term)-Denny Heck, Democrat, and Dan Matthews, Republican.

Secretary of State (4-year term)-Steve Hobbs, Democrat, and Dale Whitaker, Republican.

Treasurer (4-year term)-Mike Pellicciotti, Democrat, and Sharon Hanek, Republican.

State Auditor (4-year term)-Pat (Patrice) McCarthy, Democrat, and Matt Hawkins, Republican.

Attorney General (4-year term)-Pete Serrano, Republican, and Nick Brown, Democrat.

Commissioner of Public Lands (4-year term)-Jaime Herrera Beutler, Republican, and Dave Upthegrove, Democrat.

Supt. of Public Instruction (4-year term)-Chris Reykdal, non partisan, and David Olson, non partisan.

Insurance Commissioner (4-year term)-Patty Kuderer, Democrat, and Phil Fortunato, Republican.

Supreme Court Justice, Pos. 2 (6-year term)-Sal Muniga, NP, Dave Larson, NP.

Supreme Court Justice, Pos. 8 (6-year term)-Steve Gonzalez.

Supreme Court Justice, Pos. 9 (6-year term)-Sheryl Gordon McCloud.

Initiatives to the People: Initiative Measure No. 2066-concerns regulating energy services, including natural gas and electrification. This measure would repeal or prohibit certain laws and regulations that discourage natural gas use and/or promote electrification, and require certain utilities and local governments to provide natural gas to eligible customers. Should this measure be enacted into law?

Initiatives to the Legislature: Initiative Measure No. 2109-concerns taxes. This measure would repeal an excise tax imposed on the sale or exchange of certain long-term capital assets by individuals who have annual capital gains of over $250,000. This measure would decrease funding for K-12 education, higher education, school construction, early learning, and childcare. Should this measure be enacted into law?

Initiatives to the Legislature: Initiative Measure No. 2117 concerns carbon tax credit trading. This measure would prohibit state agencies from imposing any type of carbon tax credit trading, and repeal legislation establishing a cap and invest program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This measure would decrease funding for investments in transportation, clean air, renewable energy, conservation, and emissions-reduction. Should this measure be enacted into law?

Initiatives to the Legislature: Initiative Measure No. 2124-concerns state long term care insurance. This measure would provide that employees and self-employed people must elect to keep coverage under RCW 50B.04 and could opt-out any time. It would also repeal a law governing an exemption for employees. This measure would decrease funding for Washington's public insurance program providing long-term care benefits and services. Should this measure be enacted into law?

Voters should keep in mind that to repeal or decrease to content of the initiative, a yes vote is necessary. To agree with the idea of the initiative requires a no vote.

In Washington's Fifth Congressional District, candidates are Michael Baumgartner, Republican, and Carmela Conroy, Democrat. (2-year term)

Washington's Senate seat (6-year term) has candidates incumbent Maria Cantwell, Democrat, and Dr. Raul Garcia, Republican, seeking office.

For United States President and Vice President: Kamala D. Harris/Tim Walz, Democrat; Donald J. Trump/J.D. Vance, Republican; Robert F. Kennedy Jr./Nicole Shanahan, We The People Party; Jill Stein/Rudolph Ware, Green Party; Claudia De la Cruz/Karina Garcia, Socialism and Liberation Party; Rachele Fruit/Dennis Richter, Socialist Worker Party; Joseph Kishore/Jerry White, Socialist Equality Party; Chase Oliver/Mike ter Maat, Libertarian Party; Cornel West/Melina Abdullah, Justice for All Party; Shiva Ayyadural/Crystal Ellis, Independent.