Spin control: Time running short to return primary ballots

The political candidates who have been knocking on doors or frantically waving signs on street corners aren’t just kidding around. There really is a primary Tuesday.

At least there is in much of Spokane County, as well as other cities, towns and districts around the state where more than two candidates are vying for an elective office. If you live anywhere east of Kittitas County and have a primary race to decide, your ballot should have arrived in the mail about two weeks ago. If you still have your ballot, you’re not alone. As of Friday, the Spokane County elections office reported it had ballots from less than one in four eligible voters.

Although the city of Spokane has a five-way mayoral primary and Spokane Valley has a three-way race for a council seat, that’s apparently not enough to entice some voters to mark their ballots. So here are some others:

“It’s your first chance to cast a primary ballot in August. The primary used to be in September, but the Legislature moved it up to allow more time between this and the general election, just in case a race needs a recount.

“It’s quick. No one in Spokane County has more than three races or issues on their ballot. Even if you haven’t paid any attention to the campaigns up to this point, you can get up to speed very quickly. This page offers brief reprises of stories that were previously published on the major races. Many candidates also have Web sites where they offer in-depth, or at least at-length, discussions of what they consider key issues. Links to those Web sites can be found at the online version of this column, www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/spincontrol.

“It’s cheap. Put a 41-cent stamp on your ballot and make sure it’s postmarked by Tuesday evening.

“It can be free. Ballots without a stamp can be dropped off at any public library in Spokane County or in the slot in the front door of the Elections Office at 1033 W. Gardner Ave. Drop-off boxes will close promptly at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the Elections Office also will operate five “voter service centers” that can accept ballots and issue provisional ballots to registered voters who lost or did not receive a mail-in ballot. They’ll be at the West Gardner Avenue office; the North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Ave.; St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 316 E. 24th Ave., Spokane; CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley; and the Cheney Library, 610 First St.