Ballots for Whatcom County’s special election are due Tuesday, Feb. 13. Voters should follow the instructions on their Official Local Voter’s Pamphlet to ensure their vote gets counted.
Most of the resolutions on the ballot are school funding-related for levies, bonds, park and fire district funding.
Ballots can be returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday, or returned by mail, postmarked by Election Day. Drop box locations can be found in ballot packets, on the auditor’s website or at the state’s voter registration and ballot management portal.
If voters have not yet received their ballot, they should immediately contact the election division at 360-778-5102. Voter registration or change of address must be done in person at the Whatcom County Courthouse, at 311 Grand Ave.
Many of the measures on ballots surround funding for Whatcom County schools. Levies supplement state funding, which is rarely enough to provide adequate facilities, technology and staffing needs for schools. All county school districts are renewing or replacing their four-year levies, which expire at the end of the year.
Bonds are used to fund the construction or renovation of facilities. A Blaine bond for $70 million would update elementary and middle school facilities. A Lynden bond for $157.5 million would most significantly fund the construction of a new high school.
Marietta and Gooseberry Point residents will vote on a four-year maintenance and operation tax levy that will provide funding for Whatcom County Fire District 8 to support fire and emergency services.
To find out if your ballot has been received by the Auditor’s Office and to track its status, visit www.VoteWA.gov.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 6, 29,496 ballots had been returned. Whatcom County has nearly 160,000 registered voters.
