The ballot drop box at the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center has been emptied, but earlier today people had to literally stuff ballots into the box.
Dale from PhinneyWood snapped these photos around 8 a.m. of the ballot box, stuffed full to the top. “I guess they didn’t think through what kind of turnout they’d get,” said voter Mike Davison. “For a ballot drop box, I guess it needs to be bigger. It doesn’t seem secure to have them sticking out.”
When we arrived an hour later, the box was still full and people were walking away with their ballots in hand. “It’s a great idea to save people money,” one woman told us. “I guess I’ll just go put a stamp on it and mail it in.”
You can see through the glass (above) as a worker scoops up all the ballots on the floor. Just before 9 a.m. the ballot box was emptied and people were once again able to cast their vote.
The drop box will be open this evening until 8 p.m.
Ballard ballot box overflows
I'm betting the turn-out is better than the powers at be projected…
Good for Ballard, good for the city.
I managed to stuff my ballot and my fiancee's into the box, but I didn't feel great about it because the box was really jammed. They need to either make the thing bigger or have someone there to empty it before 9.
FWIW, I got there at about 8:05 this morning.
I wonder if Dale was the guy on the bicycle staring in wonder at all the people trying to jam their ballots in the box.
It would be great to organize a recurring election-day event around the drop box. Thanks for voting, have a cupcake, meet and greet your neighbors. This could help fill the void left by the demise of in-person voting.
I stayed with a friend in a different city on election day a few years ago. I walked with her to the post office to drop off her ballot and it was a PARTY there. That's definitely something I would love to see here.
Our voting precinct when I was a kid (at Manhattan Elementary School in Des Moines/Burien area) had a spaghetti dinner in conjunction with election nights. It's such a strong and wonderful memory: all these adults voting behind these mysterious blue curtains, the smell of tomato sauce and garlic and this weird feeling seeing grown-ups sitting at our lunch tables!
It's one of the reasons that, as part of my 18th birthday celebration, “register to vote” was first on the list. So, I love the idea for a community event suggested by elaineinballard.
That's a wonderful idea, elaineinballard.
I'm not feeling the void because my voting locale never did anything special. Make voting fun I bet more people will do it.
This comes via @JJtweets (on Twitter):
“If a drop box is overflowing, call 206-296-VOTE and they'll empty it.”
I didn't know there was one in Ballard. I was looking for nearby ballot drop off boxes on the king county web site ( http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/ball… ) the other day and I only saw one downtown. It wasn't clear that the Neighborhood Service Centers also had drop boxes.
I kept reading about the low turn in for ballots the past few days. People seem to forget what procrastinators we are.
@mcginnformayor tweeted this also and linked back to myballard:
If ballot drop box overflows call Elections Office 206-296-VOTE they'll empty it. Ballard's overflowed this a.m. #totv http://tr.im/wCyu
I put my ballot into the box at the Ballard NSC on Thursday morning and have been checking https://info.kingcounty.gov/elections/mailballo… at least once per day since then. As of last night, the website did not show that King County had received it. I was preparing to go to the neighborhood service center to inquire about its status, but at 10:30 am today, it finally displayed as received.
I mailed my ballot weeks ago. I used a Homer Simpson stamp, and made a little balloon coming from his mouth and have him shouting, “take that Seattle”
oh, that was you??? sorry, but you forgot to sign it ;-) lol….
Its ok, I wrote in Sarah Palin and Dog the Body Guard for King and Queen of Seattle, so my vote should probably not count.
They've got elecction day records from the tavern frequented by George Washington before he was President. It was sort of the base of his power as young politician. Basically, everyone who voted would stop by to schmooze and booze and be advised about the ballot. Those old colonists got hammered. Seriously, they did an alcohol per vote cast comparison and figured out that there was like 3 liters of hard alcohol per vote cast.
You talking Dog, the bounty hunter?
I still can't believe the dude's got a badge…
Hey, we could do worse. …wait, nevermind ;-)
I'd say we have.
Fortunately, we need a good four liters nowadays ;-)
Now that would be pleasant. :-)
that ballot box is pitifully tiny. It would appear full with about 10 envelopes in it.
this would be what we call poor architectural design, or inability to spec the proper fixture anyway.
While you were at it you should have voted for JP Patches. He already has mayoral experience and has won major endorsements by Gov. Greigorie and Nickels. (Both Patches Pals.)
That's funny, Edog. I used a Marge Simpson stamp. I figured she would be the one more likely to vote…
Actually, JP Patches would be a major improvement. And I think Nickles and Gregoire just like clowns.
lol…that's one word for it ;-)
Clown.
Definition.
“anyone who dresses up, for the purpose of masquerade, especially for public office, but also for any professional position which requires fakery…”
Yeah, I made that up…but it works for me.
Most likely its a slot where you can drop off your City Light payment. And the envelopes drop down into a box that could probably hold a few hundred.
If you want to get on TV, KIRO has a camera crew camping out in front of the library, hopefully waiting to catch the stuffing live. To bad they can't report on the election and the vagrants at the same time.
I dropped my ballot off today around 1:30 pm, and there was someone inside emptying the box as they came in. Then I went to the library and noticed a policeman behind the counter at the information desk. I haven't been to the Ballard branch in a while (live closer to the Greenwood one) so I don't know how long there's been a cop there, but there were no obvious vagrants to be seen inside, and only 1 maybe 2 outside. A definite improvement over a few months ago when I was there last.
Dog the Bounty Hunter is a convicted felon. Accessory to murder/2nd degree murder. Time served, but is he eligible for office after that?
Chopper, you want a badge like his? Go ahead and make one…it will be just as official.
I do miss JP, Gertrude, Boris S. Wort and the rest!
Now we have Mayor MacCheese, a Tree-Hugging City Council and Her Highness Queen Gregoire as the clowns. Half as bright and not funny at all.
Well, at least the bag tax is gonna crash and burn!!
A party at the ballot box is a great idea!!
Frankly, I think ballots should not require a stamp at all!! Why should we pay out of pocket to exercise our right to vote. I know it is just a stamp (I mailed mine – Forever stamp) but it is the principle that counts. Cost should not be an issue either; it is the county's duty to put on an election and the cost of postage should simply be factored into each ballot.
Unfortunately the cop is only there during the box emptying. It would be nice to have cops walking the beat occasionally wouldn't it?
I believe he is a liscenced bounty hunter.
Oh really – darn. I thought it might be due to complaints about vagrants defecating in the bushes outside, etc. Strange that he was inside the library then, where you cannot see the ballot drop box. Yes it would be nice to have the occasional beat cop, it certainly seems warranted around the area these days.
I had enough trouble coloring inside the lines without ale!
I was dropping mine off at the post office as other neighbors were doing the same. We smiled at each other. ;-)
I was looking for a box like this-
http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/ball…
what happened to those? All we got was a unused night drop slot.
Now I would party around those big green and white boxes,
but sorry, not a slot in the wall with a paper sign above it.
Gosh, I wish I had known that before I cast my vote, as least I know Sarah Palin is someone I can trust………….. bwah ha hah hahah.. a tee hee hee!
I saw news clips with those today, they looked to be drive thru. But they did look pretty cool.
Apparently those boxes were only at the library drop off stations, not any of the neighborhood stations.
Sigh.
SBG, Of course he is eligible. Many felons who commit crimes when they are young go on to lead prosperous lives much like Dog Chapman. It is a benefit to our society when we can turn troubled people into useful citizens.