Polls Close Tuesday For Pierce County's Primary Election

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — The August primary is drawing to a close and Pierce County voters have just a handful of days left to get their ballots in the mail or to a dropbox or voting center. Voter turnout has been slow to pick up since ballots were mailed in mid-July, with just 12.5 percent of Pierce County's 550,000 registered voters having returned their ballots by Friday morning.

The county's participation lags behind the statewide average, according to data from the Secretary of State's office, with approximately 17.4 percent of all ballots returned across the state through Thursday. While the deadline to register to vote online or by mail has passed, residents can still register in person at Pierce County Elections' headquarters. The Pierce County Auditor's Office projects 35 percent voter turnout by the time polls close Tuesday.

Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day in order to count, but last-minute voters can also visit one of the dozens of drop boxes around Pierce County to ensure their voice is heard.

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.

On the federal level, Sen. Patty Murray's seat is up for election and she will face 17 challengers in the primary, including Democrats and Republicans, independents and unaffiliated candidates.

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, who flipped the 8th District in 2018 and was reelected in 2020, could face an especially strong challenge this year, attracting some high-profile Republicans, including King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, Matt Larkin, and Jesse Jensen. Jensen ran against Schrier in the 2020 general election and was defeated by less than four points.

Strickland, the former mayor of Tacoma, is running for re-election for the first time, having secured her seat back in 2020. Derek Kilmer has held the 6th congressional district since 2013.

A central race on the state level is for Secretary of State, with eight candidates vying for the job. Longtime Republican incumbent Kim Wyman stepped down late last year to accept an appointment 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. District 5 incumbent Marty Campbell will face challenger Nancy Dailey Slotnick, and Dave Morell, who currently holds the District 1 seat, will face Timothy Tooker.

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

• Learn which candidates are on the ballot.
• Learn about the 2022 precinct changes.
• Find a ballot drop box near you.