WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Ballots for next month’s presidential primary election are being mailed out Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Washington’s primary takes place on March 12 and results will be certified by March 29.

President Joe Biden, Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson are on the ballot for the Democratic Party. Former President Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy are the choices for the Republican Party, though all but Trump and Haley have dropped their campaigns. To read more about why the primary is happening and related topics, the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office recommends looking at Washington’s Secretary of State’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

Voters will need to select a party affiliation for this primary election, but the choice will not affect future elections. The auditor’s office says voters should receive a ballot by Feb. 27. If you don’t receive a ballot or need to check your registration status, there are resources available on the Whatcom County Auditor’s website. Any other questions not answered on the website can be directed to the auditor’s office by phone, email or by visiting the office in person at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite B03 in Bellingham.

Voter pamphlets giving candidate information were mailed out last week to Whatcom residents ahead of the ballots. If you didn’t receive a pamphlet, there is more information about candidates on Vote WA’s website, or, you can view a digital copy of the voter’s pamphlet.

For voters requiring assistance, an accessible voting unit (AVU) that is equipped with visual and audio technology will be available starting Feb. 21. The AVU can be used in lieu of a paper ballot.

Ballots must be returned to an official ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked by March 12. The auditor’s office says that, in order to make sure your ballot is received on time, using ballot boxes found around the county is encouraged.