Are you ready to vote?

It’s that time of year: ballots are about to be in the mail, with voting this primary season starting July 20. Offices are contested from the U.S. Senate through county positions, though not all candidates face primary challenges. Contested primary election races for the greater La Conner area are: U.S. Senate, Second Congressional District, Legislative District 40: State Representative Position 1 and County Treasurer.

These are the offices in which more than two candidates are running. The top two finishers will seek your vote again this fall.

Proposition No. 1, the continuation of emergency medical services levy for the Skagit County EMS System, is the only countywide issue on this ballot. Its passage requires a majority vote in August. Placed on the ballot by the county commissioners, this five-year levy is a property tax of 44 mills: “$0.44 or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation.”

While time remains before voting starts, the clock is ticking on learning about the candidates and making decisions on who to vote for. There are 29 choices for the U.S. Senate seat, six for the second Congressional District position.

Judge Position 1 of the State Court of Appeals for Division 1, District 3 has five contestants.

In Skagit County, the treasurer’s office is the only primary contested post. Some readers live in Legislative District 40. Six candidates are running for State Representative Position 1.

GoodSpaceGuy, running as a Republican for the Senate seat, has the most interesting name. Alex Tsimerman, with his perhaps self-created “StandupAmerica Party,” is clearly communicating his platform. But identifying candidates’ names is the start of the process. Learning enough so they gain your confidence, trust and vote is another.

While you don’t have to vote, if you decide not to, please pass after deliberate aforethought, because you have determined no candidate or the levy is worthy of your vote. It will be a shame if you waste your vote by not using it because you didn’t make the effort to research the levy and offices.

One T-shirt on Gilkey Square Sunday: Don’t Boo: VOTE.

Exactly. Moan and groan, curse, blog, engage in clever if divisive debate, but close the circle of citizenship by submitting your ballot. Even if you leave it blank, use it.

Ballots must be dropped in ballot boxes or mailed by August 7.

The La Conner regional Library is the town’s drop box location.

The county auditor has a voter’s pamphlet from the secretary of state’s office. The Skagit County League of Women Voters is a resource.