Confused about election ballot? You're not alone

This editorial appears in the Aug. 15, 2010, Yakima Herald-Republic.

Tuesday's primary ballot is loaded with candidates and confusion.

Blame the confusion in part on the nature of judicial races in this state. For state Supreme Court, election rules allow a candidate who garners more than 50 percent of the vote to be essentially declared the winner, since only that person's name will be placed on the November ballot. If no one wins a 50 percent majority, the top two vote-getters head to a general election showdown.

Now consider the District Court races in Yakima County. If three candidates are competing for a spot -- as is the case for the Position 4 seat involving Bronson Faul, Michael Everett and Doug Federspiel -- and if one of those candidates receives more than a 50 percent plurality, only his name will go to the Nov. 2 ballot. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters will proceed.

But here's the tricky part. If there are only two candidates running for District Court, neither name will appear on the primary ballot. Confusing? Absolutely. That's why the names of Brian Sanderson and Glen Warren, who are vying for Position 2, and District Judge Donald Engel and his opponent, Steve Keller, a Yakima County deputy prosecutor, will only appear on the general election ballot.

In addition to these anomalies, voters are facing a fistful of candidates. In the 10 races for Congress across the state, 64 candidates are campaigning: 25 Democrats, 24 Republicans, nine independents, two from the Constitution Party, and a scattering of others who claim loyalty to the Green, Centrist, Reform and tea parties.

In the 13th District, incumbent Rep. Bill Hinkle, a Republican, is facing Anthony (El Tigrero) Novack, a self-proclaimed devotee of the Bull Moose party, which dates back to 1912 and Theodore Roosevelt's split from the Republicans. At that time, Bull Moose candidates came away with a third of the seats in the Washington state Legislature. Not a bad showing.

Tuesday's ballot represents another go-round for the top-two primary, where the top two vote-getters, regardless of party preference, move on to the Nov. 2 general election. While Democrats and Republicans fret that this style of primary does irreparable harm to the political party system, we find it invigorating.

What does bother us, though, is the lack of involvement by registered voters in the primary. Election officials in Yakima County have been tracking the mail-in votes and predict the final turnout will be in the neighborhood of 33 percent, or just one-third of those registered to vote. That's a pitiful number.

We hope election officials are off the mark. And to ensure that this happens, it's important for every registered voter who has not mailed in a ballot to do so now. Only then can they truly earn the right to complain about how public officials are taking care of business.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are James E. Stickel, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.

Tuesday drop-offs

In addition to mailing in ballots, registered voters on Tuesday can walk into one of three locations in Yakima County and drop off ballots from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Officials will be on hand to assist with language and physical disability issues. Those locations:

* Yakima County Auditor's office, 128 N. Second St., Yakima.

* Toppenish High School, 141 Ward Road, Toppenish.

* Sunnyside Work Source, 1925 Morgan Road, Sunnyside.

Got questions about the election? Call the auditor's office where you live. Here's the list:

* Benton County: 509-736-3085 or 509-786-5618.

* Kittitas County: 509-962-7503.

* Klickitat County: 509-773-4001.

* Yakima County: 509-574-1340.