Local elections more important than you might think
In terms of voter turnout, 2023 an odd-year election with no statewide or national races and no statewide ballot initiative is expected to draw a similar percentage of voters as was seen in 2019, when nearly 43 percent of the countys voters returned their ballots.
As of Monday afternoon, about 18 percent of the 512,822 ballots in Snohomish County had been returned, according to the Snohomish County elections office. With ballots accepted until 8 tonight at county drop boxes and those mailed and postmarked by todays deadline, more ballots will increase those turnout figures in the coming days.
Garth Fell, Snohomish County auditor, whose responsibilities include the county elections office, said ballot turnout at this point has been comparable to the rates seen in 2019, which were a few percentage points better than in 2021, the last local election year, when turnout was short of 36 percent.
Compare that to recent even-year elections, such as 2022s presidential election, when nearly 86 percent of county voters returned ballots and last years 63 percent turnout rate, which was a decline from 2018s nearly 71 percent ballot return rate.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-local-elections-more-important-than-you-might-think/