There was so much democracy going on along Broadway Tuesday morning that King County Elections had to come clean out the ballot drop box in front of Seattle Central — it was full by 9 AM.
Expect a few more visits through the day — you have until 8 PM to be in line to drop your ballot.
CHS hung out and observed some of the democracy with a voter stopping by about every 30 seconds. Three out of four also took a “ballot box selfie” to show their vote slipping into the election box slot.
Turnout in King County is expected to be strong, boosted in part by even more convenience for voters this year with the introduction of paid postage.
On past Election Days, the Broadway box is typically one of a handful in the city reported full and unusable throughout the day — King County Elections says their driver teams have been able to quickly pick up ballots and put the boxes back into action. King County is also prepared to have sheriff deputies at each location through Election Day to help ensure a safe voting environment.
Thanks to the constituent who reached out about a Capitol Hill ballot box being full! My staff contacted King County Elections, and they're sending someone immediately to empty it! If there are any issues with ballot boxes you see, let my office know! Let's keep the boxes running
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) November 6, 2018
In 2011, Washington shifted to all-mail elections but the percentage of eligible voters participating in midterm elections fell below 40%. According to the county, the ballot drop boxes are especially important for last-minute voters. In past elections, the county has had sheriff deputies at each location to help ensure a safe voting environment. In the Central District, you can find a drop box at the Garfield Community Center at 23rd and Cherry.
Need help? You can find out more about printing a new ballot or envelope here or you can vote in person at these locations through 8 PM. Once you have voted, you can track your ballot here.
Looking for some local ideas, thoughts, and takeaways on the candidates and issues? Here is our latest CHS Elections coverage.
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