Primary Local Voters’ Pamphlet – August 7, 2018 Dear Voter: This year we are happy to tell you of three changes we think will make voting even easier for you. 1: The Pamphlet is mailed earlier: Around July 20, 2018, you should receive your ballot for the August 7 Primary. We mailed this Local Voters’ Pamphlet in advance of that date to give you time to read the candidate statements well before you vote. That extra time is especially important during the summer months, when many of us have travel plans. 2: Convenient locations: We now have ballot drop boxes in every corner of the county. Ballot drop boxes allow voters to easily return ballots in secure locations dedicated to elections. Ballots are retrieved by elections workers hired by the county and returned directly to the Auditor’s Office. This year we will have 22 drop boxes, an increase of 15 in just three years. To find the location closest to you, refer to the list on page 3 of this pamphlet. 3: Free postage: If you prefer mailing your ballot, this year you don’t have to put a stamp on the envelope. Thanks to funding provided by the state for this year’s elections, voters in all 39 counties will be able to return their ballots without paying for postage. Because Washington is a Top 2 Primary state, your vote will help decide which two candidates in each race will appear on the November ballot. In addition to the 29 candidates for U.S. Senate, there are primary races for the U.S. House of Representatives, State Legislature, County Offices and the Kitsap County Public Utility District. Your vote has a lot of influence, especially on local races. Thank you for making Kitsap County a great place to live and work! Sincerely, Dolores Gilmore Kitsap County Auditor Pamphlet Contents Contact Information Voter Information ..........................................................2 Kitsap County Auditor – Elections Division Political Party Information .............................................2 bit.ly/KitsapElections (Bitly links are case sensitive.) Register to Vote ........................................................... 3 [email protected] 24-Hour Ballot Drop Boxes .......................................... 3 Vote Centers and Accessible Voting .............................4 Phone Mobile Voting Locations ...............................................4 Office: (360) 337-7128 Mark and Return Your Ballot ....................................... 5 Fax: (360) 337-5769 Sample Ballot ............................................................6-7 Candidate Statements .......................................... 8–30 Office Hours 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday Mailing Address Physical Address 614 Division St, MS-31 619 Division Street Port Orchard, WA 98366 Port Orchard, WA 98366 Additional Sources of Information About the Cover: • www.facebook.com/kitsapcountyauditor Kitsap County ballot drop box in Kingston at the • www.twitter.com/kitsapauditor North Kitsap Fire & Rescue station at 26642 Miller • www.youtube.com/user/KitsapAuditor Bay Road NE • Washington Secretary of State www.sos.wa.gov/elections All ballot drop boxes are open for the primary on • Federal Voting Assistance Program July 20. www.fvap.gov Ballots mailed by July 20 Voter Information Top 2 Primary Write-Ins – Which Votes Can Be Counted The purpose of the Primary is to reduce the number of Primary Election write-in votes can only be counted if: candidates to two for the General Election. • The candidate filed a declaration of Write-in Candidacy, • Voters may vote for any one candidate in each contest. and; • Voters are voting for candidates, not choosing a political • In a Primary there are enough write-in votes for a party’s nominees. candidate to come in second, or in a General Election enough votes for a candidate to win. The two candidates who receive the most votes in the August Primary advance to the General Election. Candidates must Candidate and Committee Statements receive at least 1 percent of the total votes cast for their position The Local Voters’ Pamphlet includes statements submitted in order to be placed on the General Election ballot. It is possible by candidates running for offices. Statements printed in this that the two candidates who advance to the General Election pamphlet are the opinions of the authors. Kitsap County prefer the same party. Elections is not responsible for the content of statements or their In partisan races a Primary is held if at least one candidate factual and grammatical accuracy. files. In nonpartisan races a Primary is held if three or more Your Right to Privacy candidates file. If no more than two candidates file, they appear on the General Election ballot in the order determined by lot. Every voter has the right to vote in secret. Voting when not qualified, or falsely signing the Voter Declaration, is a felony Military, Overseas and Early Ballots punishable by up to five years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of $10,000, or both. If you are a military or overseas voter, or if you believe your ballot will not be received in time for you to vote, you may Participating Jurisdictions request to receive your ballot by email or request an early ballot up to 90 days before an election. Early ballots list only Districts participating in this Local Voters’ Pamphlet are: the contests known at the time of the request. To request an Washington State, Kitsap County, Kitsap Public Utility email ballot or early ballot, visit: www.bit.ly/kitsapmoe or contact District No. 1. Kitsap County Elections. Questions or Need a Replacement Ballot? Additional information for military and overseas voters is available from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at: www.fvap.gov. If you have not received your ballot by July 26, or if your ballot is damaged or lost, you may request a replacement ballot by contacting Kitsap County Elections. Political Party Information Major Political Parties Contributions to Candidates A political party qualifies as a “major” political party when and Political Committees it receives at least 5 percent of the total votes cast in any • Contribution Limits – State law sets contribution limits statewide office contest at the preceding state General Election on donations to legislative, judicial and county candidates in an even-numbered year. In 2018 Washington State has two as well as bona fide political party and caucus political major political parties: Democratic and Republican. committees. Democratic Party Republican Party • Anyone who donates more than $25 in monetary and Washington State Washington State in-kind contributions must be identified by name and full 615 2nd Ave, Suite 580 11811 NE First St., Suite A306 address. For donations of more than $100 – occupation, Seattle, WA 98104 Bellevue, WA 98005 employer name, city and state of his/her employer are (206) 583-0664 (425) 460-0570 also required. www.wa-democrats.org/contact [email protected] • For a list of the people and organizations that donated www.wa-democrats.org wsrp.org to state and local candidates and ballot measure Kitsap County Democratic Kitsap County Republican campaigns, visit pdc.wa.gov. Central Committee Party Public Disclosure Commission for Washington State PO Box 27 9481 Silverdale Way NW [email protected], (360) 753-1111, (877) 601-2828 Silverdale, WA 98383 Silverdale, WA 98383 (206) 227-1483 [email protected] Precinct Committee Officer [email protected] www.kitsaprepublicans.com kitsapdemocrats.org A Precinct Committee Officer is a partisan office that is an elected or appointed member of a major political party. Precinct Committee Officers elect a chair and vice-chair of their party’s Minor Political Parties county and legislative district central committees. A “minor” political party is any political party in which no At the time of filing for office, candidates must be registered to candidate for statewide office received at least 5 percent of the vote in the precinct represented by the office they seek. Precinct total votes cast at the preceding General Election during an Committee Officers are elected in the Primary. even-numbered year. Precinct Committee Officer contests only appear on the ballot if Candidates for Partisan Office two or more candidates from the same party file for that office. A candidate may state on the ballot a political party that he For this office only: In order to vote for precinct committee or she prefers. A candidate may choose to not state a party officer you must affirm that you are a Democrat or a Republican preference. A candidate’s party preference does not imply that and may vote for only one candidate from the party you select. the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party or that the Your vote for a candidate affirms your affiliation with the same party approves of or associates with that candidate. party as the candidate. This preference is private and will not be matched to your name or shared. 2 Register to Vote Who May Vote When to Register To be eligible to vote, one must register and be: Individuals may register to vote at any time. The deadlines to vote in • A citizen of the United States. the August 7 Primary are: • A legal resident of Washington State at least 30 days • July 9: Deadline for mail and online voter registrations, before Election Day. updates and changes. • At least 18 years old by Election Day. • July 30: In-person voter registration deadline. Citizens not currently registered in Washington State may register until • Not disqualified from voting due to a court order. eight days prior to an election by appearing in person at the • Not under Department of Corrections supervision for a County Auditor’s Office. Washington felony conviction. Update Your Voter Record if You Move Voter Registration Rule Changes If you are already registered to vote in Kitsap County, you may update In 2018 new legislation passed in Washington State that will not be in your voter record online at www.myvote.wa.gov, or by contacting place during elections this year, but will take effect on July 1, 2019.