It’s primary Election Day in Washington, with voters making initial choices in county and local races.
Whatcom County voters have gone to the mail-in “polls” since ballots were mailed July 12 to narrow the fields for public seats including Whatcom County executive, Bellingham mayor, school boards, and county and city council seats.
Initial results from the county are expected sometime after 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office reported that more than 33,000 ballots from the county’s 159,333 registered voters had already been received and accepted by Monday, July 31. Initial results will be a partial tally of those early votes. Results from additional counts of incoming ballots are expected to be posted daily by the auditor’s office.
Ballots can be postmarked through Tuesday. Results of the primary election will be certified Aug. 15.
In the meantime, check back here for a look at Election Day in Whatcom County, updated live.
Live updates
8 p.m.
Voting has ended for the primary election and ballot boxes are now closed.
7:59 p.m.
7:43 p.m.
Mariella Kerr, 33, is passionate about climate change.
“The inevitability of catastrophe, just the worry that if something doesn’t change now we are gonna have a really difficult future,” she said. Kerr plans to vote in future elections.
7:40 p.m.
Ballot boxes close in 20 minutes.
7:20 p.m.
Peter Tario, 18, is a first-time voter. “I’m just excited to be here,” Tario said. “I finally feel like I’m part of something, I guess.”
7:16 p.m.
Ballots are verified and approved by teams of workers in the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. From there, they are scanned and counted. All accepted ballots that will be available for preliminary results are currently stored safely in plastic bags. Preliminary results for all Washington counties are released at 8 p.m., uploading to the internet one by one.
The public is welcome to view the process as an observer to see how ballots are accepted and rejected.
“We like being able to explain the process,” said Diana Bradrick, Whatcom County auditor.
7:14 p.m.
“With work and school and everything else, I tried to read as much as I could, the blurbs everyone gave and look more into the candidates,” said Nathan Wilson, 23. “I was concerned with the frightening buzzwords of conservative values, tending to be used for frightening things. Voting is part of the social construct contract, that you’re involved with just by living in society, it’s the absolute least that should be done.”
6:48 p.m.
Phyllis Van Rooyen, 60, and her dog, Francie, vote on Tuesday night.
6:40 p.m.
Hannah Nyland, 18, said the most important issue for her this election cycle is safety and homelessness because “it’s getting to the point where people can feel unsafe and it’s concerning.”
6:27 p.m.
Shannon Eubank, a government teacher at Sehome High School, is celebrating her 50th birthday on primary Election Day. Eubank thinks it’s important to vote locally because “we have much more influence at the local level” than nationally.
6:07 p.m.
6 p.m.
Cascadia Daily News Executive Editor Ron Judd voted Tuesday night. “I hope the people vote for me,” Judd joked.
5:59 p.m.
James Bishop, 31, is voting to have an “attempted influence on the future.” He is passionate about affordable housing issues and homelessness. “The way rent is going it seems like there should be some form of monitoring or … rent control,” Bishop said.
5:40 p.m.
Rebecca Hutchins, 55, says she appreciates “the opportunity to have a voice in the system.”
5:22 p.m.
Max Illman, 33, has been voting since he was 18. “I think this election has the potential to steer Whatcom County in a different direction,” he said.
5:19 p.m.
Miranda LeonJones and Geralde Jones voted at the 247 Grand Ave. ballot box on Tuesday.
5:11 p.m.
Cynthia Rogers, 59, voted at a downtown ballot box Tuesday evening. “I feel quite strongly that everyone should vote,” she said. She has been voting for 30 years.
5 p.m.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood took to waving signs on the streets to promote his campaign. The incumbent is challenged by four candidates of varying political experience, one of whom, Kristina Michele Martens, is a current city council member.
Cascadia Daily News reporters will be stationed at several ballot boxes around the county to chat with voters about why they are doing their civic duty and what issues stand out to them this election.
Read our coverage leading up to the election at www.cascadiadaily.com/news/2023/jul/21/election-extra-primary-voter-guide-2023.
