Some voters frustrated about primary elections guide

From the desk of county government reporter Stephanie Rice:

A few people have called the newsroom to express frustration that statewide races aren’t included in the Clark County Voters’ Pamphlet. The guide includes a list of statewide candidates with website addresses where people can go to read about them, but does not include candidate statements as it does for local candidates.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said the local guide hasn’t, at least in the decade-plus he’s been in office, included statewide races because the longer the guide, the greater the cost. Meanwhile, the Secretary of State’s Office doesn’t have the money to publish a statewide guide for the Aug. 7 primary.

The county’s elections website, http://www.clark.wa.gov/elections, has a link to the Secretary of State’s online voter guide. Some of our readers have pointed out that it’s not much help to those who don’t have Internet access.

In advance of the Nov. 6 general election, Kimsey said, voters will receive a joint publication from the Secretary of State’s Office and Kimsey’s office that will include all races.

For people grumbling about the fact that the county’s primary guide doesn’t include statewide races, take heart that you can at least read statements from local candidates – fewer than 1/3 of the state’s 39 counties even publish a primary elections guide.

Stephanie Rice: 360-735-4508 or stephanie.rice@columbian.com.