Get out and vote

In a short email conversation with Mason County Auditor Paddy McGuire, I learned that as of Monday afternoon the turnout of the 2021 General Election is just 13.5 percent.

McGuire wrote that was “pretty typical” and puts the county on track for a turnout of about 45 percent.

We can do better than that.

Last year’s General Election, which included a presidential and gubernatorial ballot, Mason County’s turnout was 84.94%

I get it.

Everyone gets excited by the major leagues, but let’s face it, regardless of who won those big election races last year, life here in Mason County doesn’t change all that much.

This year’s general election features races that will have a much, much bigger impact on our lives and our county’s present and future.

In Shelton, there are four seats on the Shelton City Council on the ballot. Two of those four — George Blush vs. Miguel Guitierrez for position No. 7 and Tyler W. “Mad Dog” Elliott vs. Joe Schmit for position No. 6 — are contested races.

All six candidates for the Council live and work or operate businesses here. They’re people you see every day and their choices will have a much bigger impact on your daily lives than any statewide or national race.

There are also races involving the school boards of all seven districts in Mason County, most of the Fire Districts, water districts and hospital commissions.

These races touch on just about every aspect of living here. They can affect your water, your fire and EMS services, your schools, your roads, your busines and the hospital you go to.

In addition, there are levy votes for West Mason Fire (No. 16) and Union Fire (No. 6) and North Mason schools.

If you haven’t filled out your ballot and returned it, you have until 8 p.m. on Nov. 2 to do so.

I challenge you, residents of Mason County, to bring that turnout up. I think a vote of 45% is far too low. That’s less than half of the people here being involved in choosing what critical, local voices will represent you.

Go find your ballot. If it’s in a pile on the table or stuffed in a drawer, dig it out, fill it out and get it back. Ballots can be returned via your mailbox, dropped off at your post office or you can use one of the county’s 12 ballot drop boxes. As a reminder, the Mason County Elections Department moved the box previously located at the Shelton Timberland Library to the YMCA and the box formerly at John L. Scott Real Estate in Belfair to the North Mason Timberland Library, as well as adding a new drop box at West Mason Fire headquarters near the intersection Dayton Airport Road and Shelton Matlock Road.

Get out and vote.