East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

POMEROY–The 2022 General Election ballots are scheduled to be mailed by October 21, 2022, and voters will find them in their mail boxes by early next week.

Ballot packets will be mailed to you October 21, 2022, which is approximately 18 days before the November 8, 2022 General Election, containing an instruction sheet, the official ballot, a secrecy sleeve and a postage-paid return envelope. Mark your ballots completely filling in the box using black or blue ink pen. If you want to vote for a candidate not on the ballot, mark the box to the left of the dotted line and correctly write the name of your choice. If you make a mistake marking your ballot, draw a line through the incorrect choice and fully mark the box identifying your choice. Remember to sign and date your return envelope to make sure your ballot is counted. If you are unsure of what name is registered or other voting questions, contact the Elections Office at 509-843-1411.

In the county election, two candidates will vie for Garfield County Sheriff: incumbent Drew Hyer and challenger Kurt Miller.

Voters will mark their ballots for that County race and other County, State, Federal candidates and Proposition No. 1, a measure going before voters concerning funding for emergency communications systems and facilities.

On the Garfield County Primary Ballot, voters will decide between two county candidates running for Sheriff, incumbent Drew Hyer and challenger Kurt Miller. Positions up for re-election that are not opposed are: County Assessor Brian S. Bartels; County Auditor McKenzie Lueck; County Clerk Marie Gormsen; County Prosecutor Matt L. Newberg; County Treasurer Tereasa Summers; Commissioner District No. 3 Justin E. Dixon; and Garfield County District Court Judge, Thomas W. Cox.

Legislative District 9–State Representative Pos. 1 Mary Dye, Republican; and Pos. 2, Joe Schmick, GOP, are both unopposed.

The Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Democrat, and Julie Anderson, Nonpartisan, seek the two-year position.

U. S. Senator candidates incumbent Patty Murray, Democrat, and Tiffany Smiley, Republican are seeking election to the six-year term position.

Congressional District 5–U.S. Representative: Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican and Natasha Hill, Democrat vie for the two-year term.

Supreme Court Justice Position 1, Mary I. Yu; Position 5, Barbara Madsen; and Position 6 G. Helen Whitener are all unopposed.

Court of Appeals Judge Division III District 2 Position 1 is George Fearing, running unopposed.

Advisory Note No. 39 Engrossed Substitute senate Bill 5974: The legislature increased, without a vote of the people, the tax on aircraft fuel from 11 cents to 18 cents per gallon, costing $14 million in its first ten years, for government spending. The tax increase should be Repealed (?) or Maintained (?).

Advisory Vote No. 40 Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2076 The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, premiums on "transportation network companies" to provide workers compensation to their driver, costing an indeterminate amount in its first ten years, for government spending. This tax increase should be Repealed (?) or Maintained (?).

To register to vote, Washington State offers three ways: online, by mail and in person. Deadline to receive new registrations and voter updates online and by mail for the November General Election is October 31, 2022. Deadline for in-person registration and voter updates for the November General Election is November 8, 2022.

For more information go to http://www.co.garfield.wa.us/auditor and click Register to Vote.