Tuesday is the Top Two primary election in Washington state, with most ballots having already been mailed in.
More than 40 candidates are competing for eight statewide offices, including governor, attorney general and secretary of state. That will be whittled down to 16 Tuesday, with the top two vote-getters in each race moving on. All 10 of Washington’s U.S. House seats are also being contested, as is the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Maria Cantwell.
The primary also will pick the candidates racing to fill the congressional seat Republican Jay Inslee gave up to run for governor. There’s an open race to replace retiring Congressman Norm Dicks, and the first contest in the new 10th District.
The primary also may determine if former state Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders will regain the seat he lost two years ago. Justices Susan Owens and Steve Gonzalez are running to retain their seats. If someone wins more than 50 percent of the vote, they will advance alone.
Mail-in ballots for the primary election must be postmarked by Tuesday, or physically dropped off at one of the county ballot box locations. Ballots can be dropped off now until 8 p.m. – in Asotin County at the courthouse in Asotin; in Garfield County at the courthouse in Pomeroy, and in Whitman County, ballot boxes are available at the county Elections Office in Colfax, and at city hall in Pullman.
