With ballots arriving in mailboxes ahead of the April 23 special election, the Lewis County Auditor’s Office reminds voters to turn in their ballots by mail or to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on election day.
Ballots were mailed out to voters on April 3 and should have arrived by April 10, according to the auditor’s office.
Not every Lewis County voter will receive a ballot for this election, as each proposition is only voted on by members of their respective districts.
• The Toledo School District voters will see a proposition from the district to renew its educational programs and operations levy from 2025 to 2027, with $1,640,000 to be collected in 2025, $1,780,000 to be collected in 2026 and $1,930,000 to be collected in 2027. The estimated levy rate would be $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed value. The money would go toward the district’s educational programs, services and operational needs, including teaching, instructional materials, special programs, activities, sports, technology systems operations, transportation costs, facility maintenance and non-capital expenses.
• Lewis County Fire District 17 voters will see two propositions on their ballots: one for a levy lid lift of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value for fire services, and one for a levy lid lift of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for EMS services. The district’s current fire levy rate is 59 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The district’s current EMS levy rate is 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
If you are eligible to vote on any of the measures on the April 23 ballot and did not receive a ballot or need a ballot replacement, go to www.votewa.gov, log in and select “Your ballot and voting materials” then select “get a replacement ballot” to print a replacement ballot packet.
Replacement ballots can also be obtained via the Lewis County Auditor’s Office by phone at 260-740-1278, toll free at 1-800-562-6130, ext. 1278, or in person at 351 NW North St. during regular business hours, which are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.
Ballots submitted by mail don’t require a postage stamp, but they must be postmarked by April 23 to count.
“The USPS advises that voters should mail ballots at least seven days prior to the election to account for any unforeseen events or weather issues so the envelope will be postmarked in time. Return your ballot early so it will count,” the Lewis County Auditor’s Office stated in a news release.
If a voter is mailing a ballot on election day, the auditor’s office advises the voter to take the ballot packet to a postal clerk inside the post office and have the clerk stamp the envelope with a circular post office cancellation stamp to ensure it gets counted.
Alternatively, voters can turn in their ballots at one of three drop boxes participating in this current election:
• Lewis County Auditor’s Office, 351 NW North St., Chehalis
• Chehalis Avenue drive-up, 242 NW Chehalis Ave., Chehalis
• Toledo Senior Center, 150 Coal St., Toledo
For more information, visit https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/current-election/ or call the Lewis County Auditor’s Office at 360-740-1278.
