(Image: CHS)
A record 646 candidates are on the ballot across King County this summer as Seattle’s major 2021 political races play out leading up to the August primary.
Election officials say the 2021 total surpasses the the previous record of 634 candidates set in 2017. Programs like Seattle’s Democracy Vouchers, backers say, have helped boost participation. Haven’t spent your vouchers? Here’s how you do it.
Ballots for the August 3rd primary will begin to hit mailboxes after July 14th.
In Seattle, 15 candidates are vying to lead the city and replace Mayor Jenny Durkan who is stepping down after a single term of office.
Meanwhile, both citywide seats on the nine-member Seattle City Council are up for grabs though incumbent Teresa Mosqueda seems unlikely to be displaced from her seat on the city’s legislative body. City Attorney Pete Holmes, meanwhile, faces a challenge not from Seattle’s right where he has been roundly attacked as soft on crime but from its abolitionist left.
The August primary vote will also include a King County ballot measure to renew the Best Starts for Kids levy:
Best Starts for Kids is a prevention-oriented regional plan aimed at supporting the healthy development of children and youth, families, and communities across King County. With levy funding, the plan invests in promotion, prevention and early intervention for children, youth, young adults, families, and communities. The renewal proposal, if approved by voters, would add funding for improved access to childcare throughout King County.
In the primary races for positions like mayor and city councilmember, the top two vote getters will move through to the November General Election. Backers also hope to get the Compassion Seattle initiative to create a new system of housing, services, and encampment clearance on the ballot. The fall vote could also include a countywide decision on transitioning elections here to ranked choice voting.
Meanwhile, the political battles across Capitol Hill and District 3 include the ongoing tussle to remove Kshama Sawant from office. Signature gathering continues to put the Recall Sawant question on the ballot though it’s unclear when that vote would ultimately take place.
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