My Ballard » elections

A look at early election results

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:45:40 +0000

The “polls” closed at 8 o’clock last night. The big story of the election is that voters have decided to get the state out of the liquor business. Here is a look at the early results (updated at 6:30 a.m.) from the Washington State Secretary of State:

Initiative Measure 1183 Concerning liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).
59.69% Yes
40.31% No

Initiative Measure 1125 Concerning state expenditures on transportation.
49.07% Yes
50.93% No

Initiative Measure 1163 Concerning long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people.
66.77% Yes
33.23% No

Senate Joint Resolution 8205 Concerning the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice president.
71.45% Yes
28.55% No

Senate Joint Resolution 8206 Concerning the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury.
66.88% Yes
33.12% No

From King County Elections:

City of Seattle Proposition No. 1 Regular Tax Levy Including Families and Education
58.57% Yes
41.43% No

City of Seattle Transportation Benefit District Proposition No. 1 Increased Vehicle License Fee
39.55% Yes
60.45% No

Seattle City Council results can be found here.

Seattle School Board results can be found here.

Today is election day!

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:07:15 +0000

Today is the primary and special election. Remember to have your ballots stamped and postmarked, or dropped in a ballot drop box by today. .

The closest local ballot drop box location is the Ballard Library (5614 22nd Avenue NW.) Ballots taken to drop boxes must be deposited by 8 p.m. If that’s not convenient for you, see this map for a complete list of King County drop box locations.

For candidate statements, see the King County Elections Local Voters’ Pamphlet. And if you can’t make your mind up from reading those, let someone else help. Here are some sources for candidate ratings and endorsements:

Know of any other endorsement sources published online? Please share them in comments, or send us a link at tips@myballard.com.

Reminder: Today is election day

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:29:08 +0000

Just a reminder that today is election day.

Ballots can be turned in at the dropbox just in front of the library until 8 p.m. today. (The dropbox is no longer at the Neighborhood Service Center like in the past.) Ballots can also be mailed in but must have today’s postmark. The online voters’ pamphlet can be found here.

It’s not the same as going to the polls, but King County Elections has created an “I Voted” sticker for you to print or download for your blog or Facebook. Find it here.

Confusion over new location of ballot box

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:53:59 +0000

There is confusion about where to drop your ballot off in Ballard. Up until 2009, the drop box was at the Neighborhood Service Center. Now, it sits in front of the Ballard Library (5614 22nd Ave NW), which is just up the block from the previous location.

We went by the NSC this morning and found several signs on the window, including the one in the top right which directs voters to the new location. Despite this sign, voters are still confused. We directed one voter to the correct location this morning and received an email Friday evening citing our earlier post. “‘Ballot Drop Boxes open on October 14, and remain open 24 hours a day until Election Day, November 2 when they will close at 8:00 p.m.’” Dwyn writes, “and Ballard is one of the sites, but it was not open this evening around 4:15 p.m.” We spoke with Katie Gilliam with King County Elections who tells us the sign alerting voters of the new location was put up on Friday.

The new ballot drop box is almost directly in front of the library and is open for voters to slip ballots in 24 hours a day until Election Day, November 2nd when the box will close at 8 p.m.

36th District incumbents lead Primary Election

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:29:48 +0000

Voters in the 36th District appear to have given overwhelming approval to the incumbents in the 2010 Primary Election. With the most recent numbers released Tuesday evening by the Washington Secretary of State, all three state legislators from our district are way ahead in the polls.

State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles currently has 82.77 percent of the votes while her challenger Leslie Klein has 17.23 percent. In position 2 for State Representative from the 36th District, Mary Lou Dickerson has 79.51 percent of the votes to challenger Jill England who has 20.49 percent. Reuven Carlyle, who is unopposed has received 100 percent of the votes for State Representative, Position 1.

In Washington’s Top 2 Primary, the top two vote getters will move on to the General Election on November 2. You can find all the election results here. The numbers will continue to change as more ballots are counted. According to the Secretary of State’s website, “By law, September 1, 2010 is the last day for county canvassing boards to certify results; September 7, 2010 is the last day for the Office of the Secretary of State to certify Primary returns.”

Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday

Doree — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:01:57 +0000

It’s a little harder to remember when Election Day is now, since King County voters no longer go to an actual polling place, instead voting by mail. So here’s a little reminder: Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, Feb. 9 in order to count.

And King County has removed all but two of its drop boxes, so if you can’t make it to the post office by 5 p.m. Tuesday, you’ll have to drop it into a free drop box at the King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave. in downtown Seattle, or at King County Elections Headquarters, 9010 East Marginal Way S. in Tukwila.

You can also drop it off at one of King County’s three accessible voting centers, including one at Seattle’s Union Station 401 S. Jackson St., until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

On the ballot in Seattle are two Seattle Public School measures to renew existing Operating and Capital levies.

No more ballot drop box in Ballard

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:05:23 +0000

Next Tuesday, February 9th, when ballots are due for the special election, don’t head down to the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center (5604 22nd Ave NW) to drop off your ballot like in the past (shown below). There will be no drop box.

Because of the tight budget, drop boxes in all but two locations have been eliminated. “King County had to make some hard choices to balance the 2010 operating budget,” King County Elections Director Sherril Huff said. “This included cuts to all departments in services that citizens want and depend on. As a cost savings measure, Elections was asked to reduce the number of ballot drop boxes as well as the operational hours of accessible voting centers.”

If you want to drop your ballot off in person, you’ll need to go to the King County Administration Office at 500 4th Ave (shown above) or the King County Elections headquarters at 9010 East Marginal Way S, Tukwila. King County also has three accessible voting locations, one at Union Station (401 S. Jackson St) which will be open Monday, February 8: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Tuesday, February 9: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.

A first class stamp will allow you to mail your ballot in, but don’t forget to have it postmarked by Feb. 9th to count. (Here’s the voters’ guide in case you’ve misplaced yours .pdf)

Last minute push for votes

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:04:15 +0000

For an hour and a half this morning, Jessie Israel’s mom and brother stood on the corner of 15th and Market holding a big banner hoping to get your attention and your vote.

Israel is Ballard’s only candidate on the ballot, running for Seattle City Council against incumbent Nick Licata. “It’s an exciting day,” Israel’s mother says as the two of them wave at passing cars.

Several Prop. 1 advocates were also out with gloves and scarves on, waving their signs at voters who drove by.

Later today is the open house at the Neighborhood Service Center (5604 22nd Ave NW) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Drop off your ballot and meet your neighbors.

Drop off your ballot, meet your neighbors

Geeky Swedes — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:46:54 +0000

With mail-only elections, dropping off your ballot or sticking it in the mailbox is much different than going to the polls. After the primary, ElaineinBallard wrote in comments, “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.”

On election day next Tuesday, the Department of Neighborhoods will be holding an open house at the Neighborhood Service Center (5604 22nd Ave NW) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (when the ballot box closes). After dropping off your ballot, enjoy refreshments and meet your neighbors. There will be giveaways, information on how you can get involved with civic activities and resource information about city services.

Mayoral and City Council candidate forum tonight

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:15:57 +0000

Reminder: Tonight is the Seattle City Council and Mayoral candidate community forum, where candidates will discuss issues relevant to the neighborhood, including access and cost for the SR-99 corridor and tunnel, crime and other public safety concerns, the future of industrial lands and the maritime industry, as well as controls on the rate of growth and development. Co-sponsored by the Ballard and Magnolia/Queen Anne district councils, the candidate forum will be moderated by C.R. Douglas of Seattle Channel. The forum is being held at the Ballard High School auditorium. Doors will open at 6 p.m., forum begins at 6:30.

Ballard ballot box overflows

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:36:16 +0000

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.

Expensive election for Burbank, Carlyle & Bloss

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:00:38 +0000

Three candidates are competing to fill the House seat for the 36th District that Representative Helen Sommers is vacating after 35 years. The candidates, John Burbank (D), Reuven Carlyle (D) and Leslie Bloss (R) are all actively campaigning. According to the Seattle Times, this race could become the most expensive in state history. So far the two democrats have already spent $130,000 combined with more than that in the bank ready to spend. To fund the campaign, Burbank is refusing all corporate contributions. He “worries not doing so would limit his ability, as a self-declared progressive,” while Carlyle sees them as “a source of pride.”

Last month: “Democrats still divided over Burbank vs. Carlyle” and “Campaigning at Ballard Seafood Fest“