YAKIMA, Wash. -- With more than 24 percent of the county's ballots returned as of Thursday, Yakima County Auditor Corky Mattingly's prediction of 53 percent voter participation in Tuesday's election remains within reach.

So far, the office has received 23,663 of the 97,126 ballots issued, or 24.36 percent.

For an odd year election, 53 percent would be "about mid-range" participation, said Kathy Fisher, the Auditor's Office elections manager. It would surpass the 51 percent in 2007 but fall short of the 57 percent mark from 2005.

Hitting the predicted 53 percent would take a few huge days of returns on and around Election Day, Fisher said. But, based on past patterns, that is well within the realm of possibility, she said.

All ballots must be postmarked or delivered to the Auditor's Office by Tuesday.

The numbers could be bolstered by Referendum 71, which deals with domestic partnership rights, and by contested City Council races throughout the Yakima Valley.

"It seems like every city or town in the county has something for their city councils (on the ballot)," Fisher said.