Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington State's top elections official is standing by his earlier prediction of 51 percent voter turnout statewide Tuesday.  Vote-by-mail ballots are trickling in to county offices rather slowly.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed projects turnout on par with the average for an off year election. 

Reed says Washington counties have almost completely switched over to voting exclusively by mail.  The only holdout is Pierce County.  

Reed says more and more voters are holding on to their ballots until the last minute.

Sam Reed: "Clearly what is happening is that they've mailed them in earlier in the past and then changed their mind.  So they are waiting to see what breaks at the end in these races and for these ballot issues."

That means large numbers of ballots might not be processed in time to be counted immediately.

In Washington State, vote by mail ballots have to be postmarked, but not necessarily delivered, by Election Day.

Reed says he would hesitate to declare a winner on election night unless the margin of victory is greater than five percent.

Online:Washington State election results