More than 40 percent of voters in Kitsap County have already sent in their ballots for next week’s General Election, according to the Kitsap County Elections Division.

A total of 63,064 ballots have been received by the county through Thursday, Nov. 1.

With 152,681 voters eligible to vote in this election, the ballot returns represent 41.3 percent of the county’s registered voters.

The largest single day of ballot returns continues to be Oct. 24, when 9,919 ballots were received.

The second highest day of ballot returns was Oct. 31, when 8,331 ballots came in.

Turnout on Bainbridge Island is still above the countywide average. A review of ballot returns through Nov. 1 by the Bainbridge Island Review shows that 43 percent of registered voters on the island have already returned their ballots.

Statewide, the ballot return rate was 38 percent through Thursday.

State officials said Friday that more people than ever have registered to vote in the 2012 General Election.

According to the Washington Secretary of State’s office, there are 3.9 million voters in Washington.

State officials said the number is a new record, and nearly 180,000 new or reregistered voters have been added to the roll since the August Primary.

During the last presidential election in 2008, Washington state had 3.63 million voters.

The number of voters on Bainbridge has also risen.

Since the 2012 August Primary, roughly 2,000 new voters have been added to the voters’ roll, according to a Review analysis of voter registrations.

There were 17,949 registered voters as of Oct. 29 on Bainbridge Island.

State election officials said Friday that turnout will probably be higher than the earlier prediction of 81 percent.

The vote tally will begin Tuesday night and continue until election results are finalized by Washington counties near the end of the month.

Roughly 60 percent of all ballots returned will be counted on Election Night, and the state estimates that 90 percent of all ballots will be tallied by Friday, Nov. 9.

Counties will certify their vote counts on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The state will certify the election as official on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

In addition to the presidential race, the Nov. 6 ballot also includes eight statewide measures, including ones on same-sex marriage, the legalization of marijuana, taxes and charter schools.

Washington voters will also decide 10 Congressional races, a special election to fill the vacancy in the 1st District in Congress, 98 state House races, 26 state Senate races, and positions on the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Superior Court.