ELECTION 2025: Ballots going out for April 22 special election with one measure to decide

King County Elections is about to send out a new round of ballots. The April 22 special election is three weeks from today – and you have one measure to decide, King County Proposition 1, renewal of the levy that pays for the automated-fingerprint ID system. Here’s how it’s explained:

This proposition would reauthorize King County to levy an additional regular property tax to support the continued operation and enhancement of the regional automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) program and would replace the voter-approved levy that expired on December 31, 2024. The AFIS program is designed to improve the ability of law enforcement agencies within King County to aid in the administration of justice. Among other activities, the AFIS program provides enhanced forensic fingerprint and palmprint identification technology and services.

The proposed levy would be authorized for a seven-year period with collection beginning in 2026. During the first year, the tax would be levied at a rate of 2.75 cents ($0.0275) or less per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of assessed valuation on all taxable property within King County. For example, a home assessed at $885,000 in 2026, would have a maximum levy amount of $24.34 in the first year. Annual increases in each of the succeeding six years would be limited to the statutory rate set forth in chapter 84.55 RCW. Qualifying seniors, veterans, and disabled persons would be eligible for exemption from the levy under RCW 84.36.381.

The 2.75 cents is a lower rate than the renewal levy in August 2018, which started with 3.5 cents per $1,000. Meantime -oOnce you get your ballot, you have until 8 pm Tuesday, April 22, to get it into a dropbox, or you can send it via USPS Mail as long as it’s postmarked by that date.

Mike April 2, 2025 (6:11 am)

Death by a thousand cuts. I’m glad Bob Ferguson took a stand against the insanity yesterday.

Jay April 2, 2025 (10:39 am)

The cost for AFIS licenses is around $2,000 per workstation per year for one seat and huge discounts for volume. A napkin estimate puts the funds raised at 900,000 to $1,000,000 per year just for West Seattle. That’s at least 450 finger printing work stations at the single-seat funded per year for just West Seattle. Teachers are being asked to tighten their belts, state workers are facing furloughs, libraries aren’t funded enough to keep their doors open with the same hours as other cities. We’re being asked to foot the bill to eliminate the wealth tax proposals. I’m not feeling generous here, the cops need to learn to be more frugal and not spend other people’s money like drunken sailors. It’s in really bad taste to give law enforcement everything they want and then some while every other part of our city has to make due with less. I want to see a levy for one AFIS workstation per precinct, two it’s it’s a high volume precinct, and a handful in each courthouse.

Jake April 2, 2025 (10:53 am)

No way will a vote yes on enhancing something that could lead to false prosecutions

Admiral-2009 April 2, 2025 (12:22 pm)

How much is it costing to conduct the levy? It’s past time these levies are consolidated to save money.

Steph April 2, 2025 (3:30 pm)

And why an expensive special election? This should have been included in the last election or wait until the next. Waste upon waste.

DC April 3, 2025 (10:28 am)

I’m a tax and spend liberal, but I’m voting NO on this. If law enforcement can’t figure out a way to fund this in their already massive budget, then we can do without.

Daniel April 10, 2025 (4:14 pm)

This is a good point. Why does this one computer system require funding by its own dedicated levy? Why isn’t this funded in the general KCSO budget?

DealReal April 3, 2025 (11:27 pm)

What is the cost of this election for one referendum. Seems like we need to get back to one election per year.

WSB April 4, 2025 (12:44 am)

This is not the only issue going before King County voters – there are several other jurisdictiohs with votes in this ‘special election’ (kind of a misnomer, really). This is just the only one people HERE (and in some other areas of KC) will see on theirs.

P.S. There’s an FAQ about the AFIS here:
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/sheriff/about-king-county/about-sheriff-office/about-kcso/afis
Including – it’s NOT, as another commenter alleged, a public safety-only tool.

AR April 4, 2025 (5:58 pm)

“The 2.75 cents is a lower rate than the renewal levy in August 2018, which started with 3.5 cents per $1,000.”I’m seeing people mostly say they will be voting no on this, but if the rate is being lowered from 3.5 cents to 2.75, wouldn’t that be better for us as tax payers?

WSB April 4, 2025 (6:08 pm)

Also worth noting, this is by no means a new tax. If you are truly interested and read through the FAQ I linked in an earlier comment – this dates back to 1986. So it’s been on the books for almost 40 years, FWIW.