Prepare now for what could be ballot fatigue later.

There are three key elections scheduled in the state this year, plus two more mostly school-related election dates (in February and April) for a lot of you.

Here is some of what’s at stake in the statewide ballots:

March 10: This is the state’s presidential primary. You read that right. It is the earliest ever for the state. And, for the first time, the Democratic and Republican parties will each allot delegates to candidates based on the results. In other words, the primary could actually be meaningful. Not so much for Republicans, because their guy, President Donald Trump, will be unopposed. For Democratic candidates, it could matter. It depends on who is on the ballot and still in the race.

Aug. 4: It’s the regular primary. Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee is seeking a third term and should be the top vote-getter. If Tim Eyman is still in the race — hey, he might not file — this would be a day of reckoning. He’s running as an independent. To finish in the top two, he must beat a crowded field of Republicans. We know how voters across the state feel about his car-tab initiatives. Now we’ll get an idea of how they feel about letting him run the state.

Nov. 3: Americans pick a president on this day. Four years ago, Trump got the job. He wants another term. He’s brushed off the fact that he’s been impeached by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. He’s counting on being acquitted soon by the Republican-controlled Senate. In this state, the Democratic candidate, whoever it is, will win. As far as the rest of the nation goes, we’ll all watch together as we did four years ago.

Happy New Year.

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@herald net.com. Twitter: @dospueblos.