Election Day In Pierce County: What To Know

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — It's election season in Pierce County, though you may not know it. Only a small fraction of Pierce County residents received ballots this election, because the only thing on the ballot is two levies for the Bethel School District.

Both only impact residents living within the school district's bounds. The district encompasses roughly 200 square miles of unincorporated Pierce County, including portions of Spanaway, Graham, Kapowsin and Roy.

The first measure, proposition 1, replaces an expiring levy by creating a new, four-year levy to pay for educational programs and operations. It would cost homeowners about $2.17 per $1,000 of assessed value, raising about $40,900,000 next year— enough to provide about 14 percent of the district's general fund budget, according to the proposition.

The second, proposition 2, also replaces an existing levy, but pays for school technology improvements like upgrading computers and replacing outdated hardware. It's also cheaper, at $0.31 per $1,000 of a home's assessed value.

Just 74,704 registered voters received ballots this election— not many considering that roughly 550,000 Pierce County voters received ballots in the 2020 election. Of those 74,704 voters, about 30 percent are expected to actually cast their vote, the Auditor's Office said.

If you live in the levy zone and want to cast your ballot, but are not registered, don't panic. You can still register to vote at a designated Voting Center until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Pierce County's can be found at 2501 S. 35th St., Suite C, Tacoma. It will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Completed ballots can be dropped at a handful of ballot boxes across southern Pierce County.

Helpful links for Pierce County voters:

• Register to vote or update registration online
• Find the nearest drop box location
• Read county's voters pamphlet
• Request a ballot replacement