Remember to vote in the November 5 general election

The November 5 general election is coming up, giving voters a chance to cast their votes for candidates running for various offices in Whatcom County.

Competitive races of interest to Blaine and Birch Bay voters include Whatcom County Executive, Whatcom County Council district 5, Whatcom County At-Large position B, Whatcom County Assessor, Whatcom County Sheriff, Port of Bellingham commissioner district 3, Blaine City Council ward 1 position 1, Blaine City Council ward 2 position 3, Blaine school district director district 2, Blaine school district director district 4, Fire protection district 21 commissioner position 3 and Birch Bay Water and Sewer District commissioner position 3.

Those who wish to vote in the general election must be registered to vote. The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office must receive your registration or change of address online or by mail by Monday, October 28 to be eligible to vote in the November 5 general election. Register to vote or change your address at VoteWA.gov.

Citizens who miss the October 28 deadline can still register to vote or change their address but must appear in person at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office, 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 103, Bellingham by 8 p.m. on election day.

Those who register in person will be handed their ballot right away. They can then either fill out their ballot in the office right then and there or take it home, fill it out and return it to any one of the drop boxes in Whatcom County.

The Blaine drop box is located at the Blaine library, 610 3rd Street and the Birch Bay drop box is located at North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, 4581 Birch Bay-Lynden Road. All drop boxes close at 8 p.m. on election day. No stamp is needed.

If you decide to return your ballot by mail, no stamp is needed but the ballot envelope will still need a postmark no later than election day for your ballot to be counted. USPS recommends mailing your ballot one week before election day. Be sure to check the last collection time on the mailbox if you are waiting until election day to mail; ballots deposited after the last collection time on election day will not have a valid postmark and cannot be counted.

For voters with disabilities, accessible voting units became available on October 16. Located at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 103 in Bellingham, the units are equipped with visual and audio technology that allows a voter with impaired or no vision to vote independently. They are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through November 4 and from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day, November 5.

Various resources are available on Whatcom County’s website, whatcomcounty.us. These include a sample ballot and an online voters’ guide. Those with questions or concerns about the general election can contact Whatcom County’s election division at 360/778-5102 during business hours.