PORT ANGELES — One more day.
After the polls close Tuesday, Americans will know who won the presidency as the grueling national race comes to an end.
Will it be former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who won the Democratic nomination over protests of supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders? Or will it be billionaire businessman Donald Trump, a former Democrat who won the Republican nomination over a large field of contenders.
And how much of the electorate will vote for candidates of other parties?
The presidential race is only one on a long ballot that includes races for the U.S. Senate, 6th Congressional District, nine state offices, three state Supreme Court positions, three seats representing Legislative District 24, six initiatives, a proposed constitutional amendment and two advisory votes as well as local races and measures.
Voter registration is at an all-time high in Washington state, with more than 4.2 million registered — and nearly 40 percent of those had voted by Friday.
North Olympic Peninsula voters were turning out more quickly than their counterparts in other counties, with more than 52 percent returning ballots by Saturday in Clallam County and more than 57 percent — the highest percentage in the state — returning them by Friday in Jefferson County.
More than 33 million Americans had already voted by Friday.
Those who have yet to return ballots must do so by Tuesday — putting them in a drop box by 8 p.m. that day or ensuring their ballots have a Tuesday postmark.
Clallam drop boxes are located at:
• Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles. Drive-up drop boxes are provided on the circular drive and directly across from disabled parking.
• Auditor’s Office in the county courthouse, Suite 1, which will have extended hours today and Tuesday. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
• Sequim Village Shopping Center, near the J.C. Penney store, 651 W. Washington St.
• Forks District Court lobby, 502 E. Division St.
Jefferson drop boxes are located at:
• Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend. A drive-up drop box is provided in the parking lot to the rear of the courthouse off Franklin Street.
• Auditor’s Office in the county courthouse, open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
• Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock. An outside drop box is mounted in the parking lot.
A voting terminal for disabled voters is available at the Auditor’s Office.
Voters who have lost, damaged or never received their ballot should contact the Auditor’s Office to request a replacement.
They can also access a printable ballot via the secure website MyVote at www.myvote.wa.gov.
The Peninsula Daily News voter guide is available online at www.peninsuladailynews.com. From the top left menu, go to “Print Editions” and select either Clallam or Jefferson County. Special sections, including the voter guide, are available under the print editions.
To reach the auditor’s election website in Clallam County, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-clallamelectionsoffice. The phone number is 360-417-2221.
To reach the auditor’s election website in Jefferson County, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-jeffersonelectionsoffice. The phone number is 360-385-9117.
On the Clallam ballot
Those who live in county commissioner District 2 — the area from Agnew through central Port Angeles — are voting in a county commissioner race between Randy Johnson, who filed with no party preference, and Ron Richards, Democrat. The seat is now held by Mike Chapman, who is running for a state Legislature seat.
A countywide race for Clallam County Superior Judge Position 2, pits appointee Brain Coughenour, who is now sitting judge, against Dave Neupert.
Three races on the Clallam County ballot are uncontested. They are Erik Rohrer for Superior Court judge, Position 1; Christopher Melly for Clallam Superior Court judge, Position 3; and Will Purser for Clallam Public Utility District commissioner, District 1.
Also on the Clallam County ballot are two charter amendment proposals, a proposal to increase Forks Community Hospital commissioners from three to five and an advisory vote on banning sale of fireworks within Sequim city limits.
On the Jefferson ballot
Running for the Jefferson County commissioner, District 1 seat are two Port Townsend Democrats: Kate Dean and Tim Thomas. Incumbent Phil Johnson did not run for a fourth term.
Incumbent Barney Burke is challenged by Jeff Randall for the Jefferson County Public Utility District, Position 1 seat.
Two Jefferson County races are uncontested. They are David W. Sullivan for the Jefferson County commissioner 2 seat and Keith C. Harper for Jefferson County Superior Court judge, Position 1.
One Jefferson County measure is on the ballot. Brinnon-area residents will cast ballots on a six-year levy measure that would fund Jefferson County Parks and Recreation District 2 with a tax levy for the first time since voters created it in 2012.
The property tax levy of 5 cents for every $1,000 of valuation — being proposed by the district’s five-person board — would cost the owner of a $200,000 home $10 a year from 2017-2022, creating some $13,000 annually.
Other races
The U.S. Senate contest is between four-term incumbent Patty Murray, a Democrat, and Chris Vance, Republican.
Incumbent Derek Kilmer, Democrat, is seeking re-election for a third term against Todd Bloom, Republican.
State Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, a Sequim Democrat, and Danille Turissini, Independent GOP, of Port Ludlow, seek the Senate seat for Legislative District 24 vacated by longtime incumbent Jim Hargrove, a Hoquiam Democrat.
Legislative District 24 covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and the northern half of Grays Harbor County.
Clallam County Commissioner Chapman, a Democrat from Port Angeles, and George Vrable, a Port Ludlow Republican, seek the district’s state representative Position 1 seat vacated by Van De Wege.
Incumbent Steve Tharinger, a Sequim Democrat, is seeking a fourth term to the Legislative District 24, Position 2 seat. He is challenged by John Alger, a Republican/Independent from Aberdeen.
In the state governor race, incumbent Jay Inslee, Democrat, is challenged by Bill Bryant, Republican, in his bid for a second term.
In the race for the lieutenant governor, from which longtime incumbent Brad Owen, a Democrat, is retiring, Democrat Cyrus Habib, state Senator for District 48, is vying with Republican Marty McClendon.
Secretary of State incumbent Kim Wyman, a Republican, is challenged in her bid for a second term by Democrat Tina Podlodowski.
Two Republicans are seeking to be elected to the state Treasurer’s seat now held by retiring Democrat Jim McIntire: Duane Davidson and Michael Waite.
Republican Mark Miloscia, District 30 state senator, and Democrat Pat McCarthy, are seeking the state Auditor seat vacated by Troy Kelley, a Democrat, who is facing a retrial next spring on fraud charges and is not seeking re-election.
Incumbent Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, is challenged by Joshua Trumball, a Libertarian, in his bid for a second term as state Attorney General.
Hilary Franz, Democrat, and Steve McLaughlin, Republican, seek election to the state Commissioner of Public Lands post which will be vacated by Peter Goldmark.
In the contest for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chris Reykdal, state representative for District 22a, and Erin Jones, teacher, are competing for votes. Incumbent Randy Dorn decided against running for a third term.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, a Democrat, is challenged by Richard Shrock, a Republican.
On the state Supreme Court, Chief Justice Barbara Madsen of Pierce County is challenged by Greg Zempel, Justice Mary Yu by David Dewolf and Justice Charles Wiggins by Dave Larson.
Statewide initiatives are Initiative 1433, which would increase the minimum wage; Initiative 1464, concerning campaign finance laws; Initiative 1491, which would allow court orders temporarily prohibiting mentally ill or violent people from having guns; Initiative 1501, which would increase penalties for criminal identity theft and civil consumer fraud targeted at seniors or vulnerable individuals; Initiative 732, imposing a carbon tax; and Initiative 735, which would urge the Washington state congressional delegation to propose a federal constitutional amendment that constitutional rights belong only to individuals, not corporations, and constitutionally-protected free speech excludes the spending of money.
Advisory votes are being held on House Bill 2768 and Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2778.
A constitutional amendment is proposed for changing the deadline for completing state legislative and congressional redistricting.
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Executive Editor Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3530 or at lleach@peninsuladailynews.com.