SNOHOMISH COUNTY — Voters should soon start seeing their 2010 primary election ballots in the mail.
The Snohomish County Auditor’s Office was scheduled to mail the ballots July 29 for the Aug. 17 election.
The top two candidates from each partisan race will move on to the Nov. 2 general election. Non-partisan races, such as state supreme court, will not appear on the primary unless there are three or more candidates running.
In northern Snohomish County, a number of local and statewide positions are on this year’s ballot.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, incumbent Rick Larsen, D-Wash., will be facing fellow Democrats Diana McGinness and Larry Kalb in District 2, as well as Republicans John Koster and John Carmack.
Positions in the state Legislature are also up for grabs.
In District 38, two candidates are challenging incumbent Sen. Jean Berkey, D-Everett. Democrat Nick Harper and conservative Rod Rieger will square off against Berkey in the primary.
Other open positions in District 38 include incumbent Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip, who will face Republican Hugh Fleet for his Position 1 chair, while Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, will be going against Republican challenger Iris Lilly for Position 2.
District 38 includes downtown Marysville, Everett and areas near Tulalip.
In the 10th district, Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, will be running unopposed for her Position 1 seat, while Democrat Tom Riggs will be challenging incumbent Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor.
The 10th District includes Smokey Point, Silvana, Lakewood, Stanwood and Camano Island and reaches as far north as Burlington.
Positions belonging to incumbent Reps. Dan Kristiansen and Kirk Pearson, both from the 39th District, will also be on the ballot. The Position 2 seat, currently held by Pearson, R-Monroe, will go unchallenged, but Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, will go up against Democrat Eleanor Walters for the Position 1 spot.
The 39th District stretches from the United States/Canada border to the northeast down through eastern Skagit and Snohomish counties, and includes most of Arlington and northern Marysville.
Moving south, the 44th District’s two representative positions, as well as its senator position, will also be on the ballot.
Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, will be going up against Republicans Shahram Hadian and Bob McCaughan for the district’s Position 1 seat, while incumbent Mike Hope, R-Lake Stevens, will compete for Position 2 against Democrat John Boerger.
Incumbent Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, will face Republicans Ryan Ferrie, Dave Schmidt and Democrat Lillian Kaufer.
Spanning from eastern Marysville to Mill Creek, the 44th District also includes the city of Snohomish.
State senators serve four-year terms in the Legislature. State representatives serve two-year terms.
County races include incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe, a Democrat, going up against fellow Democrat Jim Kenny.
State Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders’ Position 6 chair will appear on the Aug. 17 primary because he will face two challengers — Bryan Chushcoff and Charlie Wiggins. All state voters determine state Supreme Court justices, who serve six-year terms.
Donna Tucker, Larry Mitchell and Ketu Shah will also appear on the primary, as they will be vying for King/Snohomish County District Court Judge Position No. 7.
County officials will no longer be mailing out voters’ pamphlets, and instead are encouraging voters to visit the Snohomish County Auditor’s website at www.www.snoco.org/elections.
Voters can drop off their ballots at the county’s secure drop box, located at the corner of Wall Street and Rockefeller Avenue in Everett, until 8 p.m. Aug. 17.
Voters can also bring their completed ballots to a number of community collection centers.
From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 16, and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 17, voters can take their ballots to the Marysville Sno-Isle Library, located at 6120 Grove Street.
