ELECTION 2017: Voting begins, and other notes

Ballots are arriving in the mail, so primary-election voting has begun. Five notes:

(2016 photo, shared by High Point Library)

BALLOT DROPBOX OPEN: As of today, the dropboxes around King County are open, 24 hours a day until 8 pm Tuesday, August 1st, the primary-election voting deadline, no postage required. Here’s the location list; in our area, the nearest ones at the High Point (35th SW/SW Raymond) and White Center (1409 SW 107th) libraries. (If you’re in unincorporated North Highline south of WC, one’s been added at the Boulevard Park library.)

SWSHS ON ‘ACCESS FOR ALL’: There’s only one ballot measure in our area – King County Proposition 1, “Sales Tax for Access to Cultural Programs.” This would raise the county sales tax one-tenth of one percent for seven years to “expand access to arts, science, and heritage programming …” The Southwest Seattle Historical Society announced this week that its board recently voted to officially endorse it – and explains why here.

COVERAGE OF LAST NIGHT’S ENDORSEMENT: Speaking of endorsements, we covered the exhaustive process last night that put this area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, on the record as supporting two candidates for mayor. (Our report includes many other notes, including an update from our area’s school-board director Leslie Harris.)

(Yes, really, 21 candidates. This is a photo of our just-received ballot)

CANDIDATES AT SUMMER FEST ON SATURDAY: Another reminder – 2 pm Saturday (July 15th) in Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska), see up to 16 (as RSVP’d so far) of the 21 mayoral candidates in the Sustainable West Seattle-presented forum that we’re moderating. We’re going to do our best to keep it moving, so drop in even if you only have a few minutes.

CITY COUNCIL FORUM COMING UP: The ballot also asks you to pick two City Councilmembers – citywide Positions 8 and 9. No incumbent for Position 8 – there are eight contenders; the seven Position 9 candidates include incumbent Lorena González. If you want to wait to see some of them in person first, set aside the evening of July 25th, when the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council is planning a forum – more details soon.

KBear July 13, 2017 (1:42 pm)

Perhaps King County Elections could share some dropbox deployment expertise with USPS.

Jon Wright July 13, 2017 (3:07 pm)

Great idea! King County could rent one of their ballot boxes out to the West Seattle Post Office between elections.

Sara B July 13, 2017 (2:15 pm)

Have others received their ballots already?

T July 13, 2017 (5:40 pm)

We just received our voters pamphlet today. No ballots which I always expect later?

Gene July 13, 2017 (2:45 pm)

Just got ours today.

M July 13, 2017 (2:48 pm)

I’m going Harvey for sure. Excited for something different because the same clearly isn’t working.

WS Guy July 13, 2017 (3:14 pm)

Voting against Gonzalez for sure. Our Mayor’s former aide. That whole group needs to be tossed out.

Colleen Doherty July 14, 2017 (2:11 pm)

Couldn’t agree more. The City Council is positively dangerous to our well being and of course, we all know how effective Ed Murray has been.

newnative July 13, 2017 (3:32 pm)

Way too many candidates.

Trickycoolj July 13, 2017 (3:43 pm)

Voting is open yet I have received neither a ballot nor a voter guide. Am I supposed to pick them up at the Auditor’s office to save on postage?

WSB July 13, 2017 (5:04 pm)

The county says to give it a few days before assuming your ballot got lost and requesting a replacement. They were mailed just yesterday. Today in fact, only one of the two voters in our household received a ballot – previously, they have always arrived together – so this is weird, but we’ll wait a few days before contacting Elections.

Mark July 13, 2017 (4:31 pm)

Just got my ballot today.

I’m looking for a pragmatic mayor who will hold the line on taxes, look for opportunities to streamline the beauracracy, for example SDoT has way to much overhead AND OF COURSE NEEDS NEW LEADERSHIP.

In the last 4 years taxes have gone up at a horrendous pace and government growth is simply not sustainable.

A Mayor who expects people helped by taxpayers are also willing to help themselves and respect the law.

Any suggestions?

Double Dub Resident July 13, 2017 (5:16 pm)

Harvey Lever
- Seattlite July 14, 2017 (5:53 pm)
  
  Double Dub Resident: I see to clear choices: Harvey Lever or Greg Hamilton. Both bios suggest that they might be into problem-solving, decision making without the interference or caving into special interest groups. Both seem to want to do the right thing for King County/Seattle.
B July 13, 2017 (5:57 pm)

I’d look at Harvey Lever then
More Options Please July 13, 2017 (11:02 pm)

While Lever doesn’t look like one of the crazies himself, his “campaign manager” is the same guy with the “Transgender bathrooms? -no” statement and suggestions that the city’s opposition to Drumpf’s policies is a bad thing in his own statement for the position he’s running for. The contact info on Lever’s statement actually goes to this “campaign manager”, not Lever. It makes me wonder what kind of person Lever really is if he’s so close to such an extremist that he’s directing contacts to that guy instead of answering for himself.

Something to think about if you’re seriously considering him.

MD July 13, 2017 (6:17 pm)

I see that Goodspaceguy is running for Executive. LOL!!!!! Look up his Wiki page.

Mark July 13, 2017 (6:20 pm)

Double Dub thank you. I’ll take a look

Leanne Keim July 14, 2017 (6:30 am)

Harvey Lever for Mayor!

Seattlite July 14, 2017 (8:36 am)

After reading through King County’s candidates’ short bios, I’m very disappointed in the selections…same ol’, same ol’. I’ve given up on King County/Seattle ever having the type of leadership it needs to support the middle class citizens, lowering instead raising taxes at every turn, resolve homeless problems, resolve roadway infrastructure problems, cleanup downtown Seattle, stop accepting $ from special interest groups and developers who don’t have King County’s/Seattle’s best interests at heart. Seattle is just another ideologically run city that’s on the same track as San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Baltimore…very sad.

Jon Wright July 14, 2017 (9:53 am)

What’s an example of a city with the type of leadership you would like to see? And aren’t all organizations/entities “ideologically run” or is that a euphemism for something in particular?
Katie July 14, 2017 (12:57 pm)

I’m not sure how we’re supposed to improve infrastructure and solve homelessness while lowering taxes. Having a nice city means having a strong tax program. Public good costs public dollars which means taxes. I’ve never seen a place with low taxes that wasn’t also poorly run and gross to live in.

Mark July 14, 2017 (12:06 pm)

The issue to me is the City has moved way too far to the left, socialistic. A pragmatic center left leader is what is needed. Hold the line on taxes, expect people to help themselves if provided assistance. Simply take care of basics first.

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