DAYTON–Ballots to Columbia County voters have been mailed for the Washington State 2020 Presidential Primary.

Ballots were mailed February 21 and must be postmarked by March 10, 2020, or dropped in any official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on March 10.

In Columbia County, ballots may be mailed, hand delivered to the Columbia County Auditor’s Office in the Columbia County Courthouse, 341 E. Main Street, Dayton, or dropped in the official ballot drop box located at the Columbia County Courthouse, or at Starbuck City Hall, 200 Main Street, in Starbuck.

The ballot lists 13 Democratic candidates for president, and one Republican candidate. Democratic candidates are Michael Bennet, Joseph R. Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Yang, and Uncommitted Delegates. News reports indicate that Yang has suspended his presidential campaign. Incumbent Donald J. Trump is the sole Republican candidate.

Voters are required to declare a party for the primary contest they’re voting in. The declarations, written by the parties, appear on the return envelope, and without a signature and party selections, the vote cannot be counted, the Secretary of State points out. The Presidential Primary is the only statewide election in which voters are required to select a political party. Voters also attest that they will not participate in the 2020 precinct caucus, convention system or nomination process of any other political party.

The 2020 Presidential Primary Voters’ Pamphlet, mailed to local addresses, includes information about the candidates to assist voters in making informed decisions.

The Presidential Primary was created in 1989 as a citizens’ initiative to the Legislature, according to the Secretary of State’s official voters’ pamphlet. It was held in May, and was subsequently found to be too late in the campaign process to be relevant as the field of candidates was typically “condensed” by the time the Presidential Primary occurred.

The Legislature approved of a bill in 2019 to move the primary election to an earlier date. “Now Washingtonians will have a greater voice in selecting the nominees for president,” Mark Neary, Assistant Secretary of State, indicated in the voters’ pamphlet. “For the first time in state history, both major political parties will use the results of the Presidential Primary to allocate their delegates to the national conventions.”

All registered votes are encouraged to participate in this important election.

Ballot envelopes include pre-paid postage so the ballot may be dropped in any mail box, or ballot drop box.