Carson, Washington Public Records

Major employers in Carson and the surrounding Skamania County region include the Skamania County government, the local school district, and various tourism-related businesses, all of which play a vital role in the area's economic well-being.

The safety and well-being of Carson's residents are overseen by the Carson Police Department, which works closely with the Skamania County Sheriff's Office to maintain law and order in the area. The Skamania County Jail serves as the detention center for individuals arrested within the county, including Carson. For those wishing to obtain arrest records, mugshots, booking records, or criminal history information, the process begins at the Carson Police Department's records unit, where individuals can request specific documents. If further information is needed, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office can provide additional assistance.

Carson, Washington voters are served by the Skamania County Auditor's Office, which functions as the local elections administrator under Washington's vote-by-mail system. The Skamania County Auditor/Elections Office is located at 240 NW Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648, phone (509) 427-9670, website at www.skamaniacounty.org/auditor. This office manages all aspects of elections for Carson residents including voter registration, ballot distribution, ballot counting, and election results reporting for federal, state, county, and special district elections.

Washington State conducts all elections entirely by mail ballot. Carson residents can register to vote online through the Washington Secretary of State's VoteWA portal at https://voter.votewa.gov, in person at the County Auditor's office, by mail, or when obtaining or renewing a driver's license. Online registration requires a Washington driver's license or state ID card. The voter registration deadline is eight days before Election Day for online and mail registration, or in-person registration is available through Election Day at the county elections office. First-time voters who register by mail must provide identification. Registered voters receive ballots by mail approximately 18 days before each election at the address on file, and ballots must be returned by 8:00 PM on Election Day either by mail (postmark does not count—must be received by 8 PM), at official ballot drop boxes located throughout the county including in Carson, or at the Auditor's office in Stevenson.

Because Carson is an unincorporated community, there are no municipal elections for mayor or city council. Carson residents vote in Skamania County Commissioner elections (three commissioner positions elected to staggered four-year terms), Skamania County Auditor, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, and other county offices. Carson is part of Washington's 3rd Congressional District for U.S. House elections and votes for statewide offices including U.S. Senate and Governor.

For the November 3, 2026 General Election, Carson and Skamania County voters will decide several significant races. At the federal level, Washington's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Maria Cantwell will be on the ballot in 2024, not 2026; both U.S. Senate seats are next up in 2024 and 2028. However, Washington's 3rd Congressional District U.S. House seat will be on the 2026 ballot. At the state level, all 98 seats in the Washington State House of Representatives (two-year terms) will be contested, along with approximately half of the 49 State Senate seats (four-year staggered terms). Carson is in the 14th Legislative District. The Washington Governor's office is a four-year term elected in presidential years (2024, 2028), so will not appear on the 2026 ballot. At the county level, one Skamania County Commissioner position (out of three) will be on the 2026 ballot, along with potential county offices depending on term schedules. Various special districts including fire districts, school districts, and port districts that serve the Carson area may also have elections for commissioners or board members, along with levy and bond measures.

Skamania County elections information, including sample ballots, candidate filings, local measures, polling place information (for accessible voting), and election results are available at www.skamaniacounty.org/auditor. Voter registration records are public in Washington with certain personal information redacted; they can be requested from the County Auditor. Campaign finance disclosure reports for state and local candidates are maintained by the Washington Public Disclosure Commission at www.pdc.wa.gov, where contributions and expenditures are searchable by candidate or committee name. Election results by precinct, including Carson-area precincts, are published by the County Auditor after each election and are public records.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Skamania County reported approximately 62-65% voter turnout of registered voters, with roughly 7,200-7,500 ballots counted out of approximately 11,500 registered voters countywide. Carson-area precincts generally reflect county-wide turnout patterns. Washington's vote-by-mail system consistently achieves higher turnout than in-person voting states. Voters who do not receive a ballot, need a replacement ballot, or have questions about their registration status should contact the Skamania County Auditor at (509) 427-9670. Accessible voting equipment is available at the Auditor's office in Stevenson for voters who need assistance marking their ballot.