Island County Auditor Suzanne Sinclair is having trouble getting it through people’s heads that there will be no polling places open in Island County on primary election day, Sept. 20.

Part of the problem could be the statewide television ads telling voters that when they go to the polls, they will now have to show identification of some type. What the ad neglects to say is that many counties, including Island, are voting exclusively by mail for the primary.

The vote-by-mail decision for the primary made sense in Island County. There are no countywide races on the ballot so it would have been difficult, costly and perhaps confusing to open only a few polling places. Instead, voters will be receiving the appropriate ballot in the mail – they won’t have to wonder which races are on the ballot in their neighborhood or which polling places are open.

North Whidbey residents will be voting on the renewal of the Park and Recreation District levy, one Oak Harbor School Board seat, one Coupeville School Board seat, and one Admiral’s Cover Water District board seat.

Sinclair emphasizes there is no need for registered voters to re-register for the mail election or change you status to that of an absentee voter. You should get a ballot in the mail this week.

The only thing voters need to remember is to fill out their ballots and return them no later that Sept. 20.

Voters who prefer to cast their ballots at the polling place can take comfort in the fact that traditional voting will return with the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8.