County officials invite people to watch tabulation of votes

COLUMBIA BASIN — With Election Day approaching quickly, both Adams and Grant county are preparing for the flurry of votes ahead, and ensuring that everything works well.

Faith Anderson from the Grant County Elections office said the public is invited to come to the Grant County Courthouse on Election Day and see "every move we make." Grant County will begin opening absentee ballots tomorrow.

"If we waited until Election Day we would never get it done," Anderson said, noting the thousands of mail-in votes received. However, no votes will be counted until Nov. 2, with the first tallies coming out at 8 p.m. that evening.

Anderson said that 75 percent of all registered voters in Grant County will vote. Of that number, 55 percent will vote absentee.

Those who vote absentee have to make sure their envelope is postmarked no later than election day, otherwise it will not count.

"We have a few people who do that," Anderson said. "They think that since they can vote absentee, they can send it back any time and that is not true."

The Grant County Canvassing Board will allow people to come watch the tabulation starting at 3 p.m until 10 p.m.

Heidi Hunt from Adams County's Elections office said that the procedures prior to an election, including the decision to invite the public, is outlined in Chapter 29A of the Revised Code of Washington.

"It's quite a process," she said. "(It's) a law that ensures that the elections are conducted properly."

While political observers from each of the major political parties get first priority witnessing the tabulation of votes, the public can still come and watch.

Hunt said that between 60 and 70 percent of all registered voters in Adams County do vote.

As far as absentee ballots are concerned, Hunt said that people in Adams County were fully aware of when they have to return them, and past due ballots are not really a problem at this level.