Evan Smith: Proposal could make primary date two weeks earlier

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

A bill moving through the Legislature could move Washington’s primary election date from the third Tuesday in August to the first Tuesday.

A group of State senators introduced the bill at the request of Secretary of State Sam Reed and county elections officials from around the State

King County elections spokeswoman Kim Van Ekstrom told me Wednesday that moving the date two weeks earlier helps elections officials in Washington comply with the federal Military and overseas voters (MOVE) Act.

Van Ekstrom said the earlier primary would allow counties to have primary votes counted and general-election ballots printed in time to get the ballots to overseas voters within the 45 days required by the federal law.

Snohomish County elections manager Garth Fell told me Tuesday that the federal law applies only to elections for federal office but that elections officials believe they should follow the same calendar for odd-numbered years when only local elections are on the ballot.