Kirk Boxleitner

kboxleitner@ptleader.com

Jefferson County currently has the second-highest percentage of voter turnout of any county in the state.

Per results reported Nov. 10, Garfield County leads the state in turnout, with 82.62 percent of voters filing a ballot, while Jefferson County comes second with 82.2 percent.

San Juan County is currently third (81.43 percent), followed by Wahkiakum (80.36 percent) and Lincoln (78.05 percent).

“Jefferson County is usually in the top five for highest voter turnout, so I think we will go a little higher,” Jefferson County Election Coordinator Betty Johnson said, adding that County Auditor Rose Ann Carroll is hoping for a final turnout percentage of at least 85 percent.

If Jefferson County hits that mark, the 2018 general midterm elections would rival the county’s turnout for the 2016 presidential election, which was 86.21 percent.

“Depending on how many ballots other counties still have left to process, we might not make the top slot at the end,” Johnson said. “It’s all relative to how many ballots have been processed when updates are reported. We will know when it is certified on Nov. 27 who has the highest turnout.”

Nonetheless, the latest update already places Jefferson County well ahead of its totals for the 2014 midterm election, which saw 70.56 percent turnout; the 2010 midterm election, which saw 81.57 percent turnout; and the 2006 midterm election, which saw 77.52 percent turnout.

The statewide turnout for Washington’s 2018 midterm election was 65.66 percent as of Nov. 10.