FOLLOWUP: Will West Seattle get a permanent ballot dropbox again?

The day after another low-turnout election – only 1 in 4 Seattle ballots was in by the close of voting last night – the County Council is following up on its directive for more permanent ballot dropboxes around the county. The one above, for example, is the last one West Seattle had – removed more than five years ago, with only temporary dropoff vans sent here, during the last few days before the close of voting, since then.

Right now, only 10 permanent dropboxes are in place around King County, but the in-progress proposal from Elections Director Julie Wise – with funding approved by the County Council today – would quadruple that to 40. No locations finalized yet, though. The proposal also will pay for increased voter outreach in communities where English is not the primary language. That would include printing voter materials in Spanish and Korean as well as Chinese and Vietnamese, the two languages in which they’re offered now. More details on the added-dropboxes plan are due in April; read today’s announcement in full here.

Joe Szilagyi February 10, 2016 (4:12 pm)

It’s flat out offensive that we have only ten in the entire county.

dhg February 10, 2016 (4:41 pm)

The fact that the guide was not readily available in Korean is not the reason for the low turnout. Last I checked, Koreans, Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants do not make up 75% of the population. Low turnout happens because the envelopes are not prepaid and the number of ballot box dropoff places is ridiculously scarce. I liked the community created by having a polling place and I think it is foolish to drop them to save a few shekels.

Jon Wright February 10, 2016 (5:00 pm)

Low turnout happens because the envelopes are not prepaid and the number of ballot box dropoff places is ridiculously scarce.I bet if the envelopes were postage-paid and there were 1000 drop boxes turnout would increase no more than 2%. The reason people don’t vote is that they don’t give a rip.
KM February 10, 2016 (7:13 pm)

I wonder how much we save? Seems we have 3-4 elections a year with mail-ins, and I assume there are added costs with each ballot. I wish we would do a combo and only once a year (or twice when there are primaries). Or heck, even that rotation with mail-in only. That way we can see all the tax and levy issues at once and the county can save by not having so many elections.

Christopher Boffoli February 10, 2016 (4:45 pm)

I’ve never understood the necessity of ballot drop boxes. I already consider it a huge convenience to not have to schlep to a polling station to cast a vote. Otherwise a 49 cent stamp makes every US Postal Service mailbox (including daily pickup of outgoing mail at every mailbox at every house in King County) a ballot drop box.

hj February 10, 2016 (5:09 pm)

We need fewer barriers to voting, not more. In the case of stamps, crazily enough not everyone has them (I only have stamps to pay my City Light bill, and even then only because there’s some problem paying them online), which then necessitates a trip to get a stamp. If there’s a voter who’s just barely on the right side of apathy, that might make the difference. Plus there’s just the principle of it. In any case, staffers at the Stranger sent ballots without postage, then checked online that the ballots were received and counted. They were.

Trickycoolj February 10, 2016 (5:20 pm)

Had to buy stamps just to send this ballot so that was $10. The stamps will likely get lost or ruined in my wallet in an effort to try and not lose them because I live in the 21st Century and do everything else online. The drop off vans are out of the way for any commuters that dont get home via personal car via the high/low bridge or Roxbury. Had to race out of the office just to make the cut off last election. They need to make them postage paid and get it over with.

West Seattle since 1979 February 10, 2016 (7:12 pm)

Trickycoolj, don’t keep the stamps in your wallet. Keep them at home somewhere. You probably fill out the ballot at home, right?HJ, people who aren’t going to get stamps to mail the ballot are certainly not going to take the time to go to the polls. Maybe they might vote if the envelopes were postage prepaid, but then there would probably be an outcry about taxpayer money being spent on postage for ballots.Stamps can be bought online. Yes, you have to get a few, but you can get the “forever” kind so they’ll still be good when postage goes up. And we usually have about 3 elections a year, so you’ll use them up eventually.

wetone February 10, 2016 (5:58 pm)

I hear from so many saying they have just given up on voting, feeling system is broke. What city wants, city gets one way or the other. I tell them the only way to change that is vote, and if one doesn’t vote don’t complain. One more thing is how many levy’s per year we have these days, might be having impact and certainly costing all of us. Foolish at best but makes it easier for Murray to continue his open check book spending …….

Roxy February 11, 2016 (8:11 am)

Tax impact from the last election should show up on your next property tax bill. When does this new hefty levy begin?

Rick February 11, 2016 (12:36 pm)

It’s usually pre-determined. Almost like a waste of time if you don’t vote properly. Had a girlfriend who’d never voted and I gave her the usual blather for years about civic duty, your vote counts,etc.,etc. and after the baseball stadium,etc., I’ve spent tons on apology dinners. So, double whammy on me!

Mickymse February 11, 2016 (1:06 pm)

I look forward to seeing all of these YES votes whenever someone from King County proposes a new tax to pay the half a million dollars for ballot postage each year…

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