Reed expects ‘amazing’ turnout
OLYMPIA – Washington voters are expected to turn out in near-record numbers on Nov. 2, rivaling the 85 percent turnout during World War II, Secretary of State Sam Reed said Tuesday.
Reed forecast an “amazing” 84 percent turnout, with voters drawn by hot races and ballot propositions. If that pans out, it would eclipse the 82 percent turnout in 1960, the year of the Kennedy-Nixon showdown, and would come close to the record set in 1944.
“The World War II generation returned from the battlefield with an overwhelming sense of patriotism and duty to country,” Reed said in comments prepared for a Seattle news conference. “We should model ourselves after this civic-minded generation who understood and valued the power of the vote.”
Reed, the state’s chief elections officer, said all the signs point to an outstanding turnout.
“The political pot has been stirred and voters are motivated,” he said. “This state is a battleground for the presidency, the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor are polling in a statistical dead heat, and Washingtonians will elect a United States senator, two new members of Congress and a new attorney general.
“This is an exciting time to cast a ballot in the state of Washington no matter how you lean politically. I urge every citizen to vote and be a part of this unique moment in history.”
In an interview, Reed said this year’s crop of five ballot measures also is bound to increase turnout. “People feel very passionate about the kind of primary (election) system we have and a lot of people want to work on the sales tax for education and the charter schools referendum. And there is the gambling issue and the Hanford cleanup measure is an environmental issue that always stirs people up.
“The ballot measures have been overshadowed by the candidates, but I think they will bring people out to vote.”
His projection came one day after the deadline for citizens to register for the general election. Reed said about 3.41 million voters will be eligible to cast ballots, a net increase of about 300,000 over last year.
About 2 million absentee ballots have been mailed out, and Reed’s office expected at least 60 percent to 65 percent of this year’s vote to be cast by mail. Mail ballots must be postmarked by midnight Nov. 2.