By the Thurston Chronicle staff
The Thurston County Auditor’s Elections Division mailed over 2,500 Special Election ballots to military and overseas voters registered in the Centralia, Olympia, Tenino and Tumwater school districts in Thurston County.
Ballot envelopes must be signed and dated by Election Day or received via email or fax by 8 p.m. Pacific Time on election night, Feb. 10, 2026.
For voters not in the military or overseas, ballots will be mailed Jan. 21. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or received in a drop box by 8 p.m. on election night.
Military and overseas voters who have not received a ballot by Wednesday, Jan. 21 should contact the elections division at 360-786-5408 or elections@co.thurston.wa.us for a replacement ballot.
For more information about the Feb. 10 special election, visit https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/auditor/elections/february-10-special-election
There are four school district replacement levy proposals that some Thurston County voters will see on their ballot:
- Centralia School District Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy: This resolution would replace an existing levy that expires at the end of 2026. Passage of the proposition would allow the Centralia School District to levy $7,150,000,
$7,640,000, and $8,157,000 in property taxes for collection in 2027, 2028, and 2029, respectively. The estimated levy rate per $1,000 of assessed value would be $1.70 for 2027, $1.75 for 2028 and $1.80 for 2029.
- Olympia School District Technology and Capital Projects Replacement Levy: This resolution would replace an existing levy that expires at the end of 2026. Passage of the proposition would allow the Olympia School District to collect $16,703,000 in 2027, $17,676,000 in 2028, $18,707,000 in 2029, and $19,901,000 in 2030. The estimated levy rate per $1,000 of assessed value would be $0.96 through 2029, rising by one cent to $0.97 in 2030.
- Tenino School District Replacement Capital Levy to Improve Student Safety, Technology and Learning Environments: This resolution would replace an existing capital levy that expires at the end of 2026. Passage would allow the Tenino School District to collect $2,397,797 in 2027, $2,456,484 in 2028, $2,516,639 in 2029, $2,578,298 in 2030, $2,641,498 in 2031, and $2,706,278 in 2032. The estimated levy rate per $1,000 would be $1.11 all six years.
- Tumwater School District Replacement Safety, Technology, and Capital Improvements Levy: This resolution would replace an existing levy that expires at the end of 2026. Passage of the proposition would allow the Tumwater School District to collect $5,900,000 in 2027, $6,200,000 in 2028, $8,500,000 in 2029, $9,000,000 in 2030, $9,500,000 in 2031, and $10,000,000 in 2032.
The estimated levy rate per $1,000 is $0.53 for 2027-28, jumping up to $0.70 in 2029 and increasing by one cent per year through 2032.
