The Kitsap County Elections Division received more than 55,000 ballots before Election Day, election officials reported.

According to the Elections Division, a total of 55,388 ballots have been turned in through Monday, Nov. 3.

So far, turnout is estimated at 35.86. The county has a total of 154,462 registered voters.

Ballots will continue to be accepted until 8 p.m. Nov. 4.

Ballots were mailed to military and overseas voters on Sept. 19. All ballots to registered voters were sent by Oct. 17.

Kitsap County Auditor Walt Washington said late last week that voting turnout was estimated at 55 percent, based on the ballots that had been returned so far and compared to historical statistical data.

Ballot returns are following historical trends, with the biggest volume of ballots received just after the three weekends before Election Day.

Historically, ballot returns are marked by an initial peak following the first weekend when most voters receive ballots, with another smaller peak coming after the next weekend, followed by the highest peak of ballot returns then coming in on the Monday before the election and Election Day.

That trend is continuing this election cycle.

On the first weekend after most ballots had been mailed, a total of 10,308 were returned Oct. 20-12.

After the second weekend, a total of 9,721 ballots had been received by the county on Oct. 27-28.

Many voters filled out their ballots during the last weekend before Election Day. Monday, Nov. 1 was the day with the highest number of returned ballots: 8,723.

Combined with ballots returned on Election Day, the greatest number of votes that are cast in this election are expected to be received on Nov. 3-4.