Aug. 29, 2006

First ballots in the mail Wednesday

Look for your King County Local Voters' Pamphlet in the mail today

It is three weeks until the September 19 primary and King County Election officials expect 71 percent of the total ballots cast will be cast by mail continuing a trend of King County voters choosing to vote by mail.

Absentee ballots in English and Chinese will be mailed starting Wednesday to over 569,000 King County voters. When absentee voters open their ballot envelopes, they'll notice a newly designed return envelope. As part of an ongoing effort to enhance security measures and protect voter identity, voted ballot envelopes returned through the mail now hide signatures and phone numbers under a security flap.  The new envelope design launched in the February special election.

Voters who do not receive their absentee ballot in the mail by Friday, Sept. 8 should call 206-296-VOTE.

Assistant Director of Records, Elections and Licensing Services Sherril Huff Menees projects a 37 percent overall turnout of King County's 949,385 registered voters which is consistent for even-year elections.

Pick-a-party primary

For the second year, all Washington State voters will receive the pick-a-party primary ballot.  Voters must pick a political party to cast votes in partisan offices.

First implemented in 2004, historical data indicates 93 percent of voters in the past two primaries correctly follow instructions and picked a party regardless of how they felt about the new process.  

The ballot is color-coded with blue and red party designations, reminding voters that voting in the primary is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Pick a party by making your selection at the top of the ballot.
2. Vote for candidates in that party (each party has its own section on the ballot).
3. Complete the ballot by voting in the nonpartisan contests and on ballot measures, even if you choose not to select a party.

Local Voters' Pamphlet in the mail today

The King County Local Voters' Pamphlet will also begin arriving at households this week. In addition to information about the candidates and measures on the ballot, the pamphlet provides information on new accessible voting units – federally required equipment which will allows voters with disabilities to cast a secret and independent ballot for the first time.

The cover of the 2006 Local Voters' Pamphlet features the original work of Barbara Scholen of Seattle.  To promote accessible voting, King County partnered with VSA Arts of Washington this year in search of artwork that illustrates the importance of voting among the disabled community.  Scholen's artwork "Without our Vote, Democracy is Disabled," received first place in King County Elections' call for art this spring and will be part of an exhibit at Vision Gallery in Seattle beginning Sept. 7, 2006.

The Local Voters' Pamphlet is available in English and Chinese both printed and online. Printed copies of the pamphlet are also offered in Braille, large-type and audio cassette formats.

The county's voter information hotline 296-VOTE (8683) is available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Automated telephone assistance is available during off hours and on weekends.

Voters can also find useful resources, the Local Voters' Pamphlet in English and Chinese and a sample ballot on the county's Web site at www.kingcounty.gov/elections.

Updated: Aug. 29, 2006
修訂日期: 2006/08/29

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