Pierce County Election Day: How To Vote Before Polls Close Tuesday

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — Tuesday is Election Day and last-minute voters around Pierce County still have a few options for returning their ballots before the polls close at 8 p.m. August primary ballots were mailed to approximately 550,000 registered voters in mid-July and, according to data from the Pierce County Auditor's office, turnout had yet to break 15 percent by Monday morning.

Election Day typically sees a surge in ballot returns, and the county projects turnout will hit 35 percent when all is said and done.

Since mailed ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, the safest route to make last-minute votes count is by visiting one of Pierce County's more than 50 drop boxes or heading to the Pierce County Elections office in Tacoma, where Election Day hours will run from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents can also register to vote in person until the polls close.

According to the Secretary of State's office, 135 state and federal offices are on primary ballots across Washington this year, along with 407 county-level races and more than five dozen local measures.

In Pierce County, three county council seats are in play this year, along with the Pierce County Auditor. Some communities will also decide the fates of emergency medical services levies, including for Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, South Pierce Fire & Rescue and Gig Harbor Fire.

Sen. Patty Murray is seeking a sixth term in office and faces 17 challengers in the primary.
Three Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives will also appear on August ballots: Reps. Derek Kilmer, Marilyn Strickland, and Kim Schrier. Schrier flipped the 8th District in 2018 and was reelected in 2020. Her challengers include Reagan Dunn, Matt Larkin, and Jesse Jensen.

Eight candidates are vying for the Secretary of State post after Republican Kim Wyman stepped down in 2021 to take a job in the Biden administration. Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Democratic state Sen. Steve Hobbs to fill the role, and he is on the ballot seeking a full term. His challengers include Julie Anderson, the Pierce County Auditor, who is running as a nonpartisan.

Pierce County Council's districts 1, 5, and 7 are also up for grabs, including the seat of current Council Chairman Derek Young. Young cannot run for re-election because of term limits, but five candidates have filed to run for his seat.

The polls close promptly at 8 p.m. Tuesday, and the first batch of results will be available a few minutes later.

Here are a few links to help voters in Pierce County:

• Learn which candidates are on the ballot.
• Access a digital version of the 2022 Voters' Pamphlet.
• Learn about the 2022 precinct changes.
• Find a ballot drop box near you.