East King News

City of Issaquah issued the following announcement.

Voters in Issaquah will begin receiving their General Election ballots in the mail starting Oct. 14. Below are the key dates for the election, as well as information on how to register, return your ballot and request a replacement (if needed).

Key Dates: 

• Oct. 14 – Ballots mailed
• Oct. 15 – Drop boxes open
• Oct. 19 – Voters should have their ballot in hand by the 10/19 mail delivery
• Oct. 26 – Deadline for online and mail voter registration
• Nov. 3 – Election Day! Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. sharp or ballots must be postmarked by today 

Register to Vote: 

• The simplest way to register to vote or check your registration is up to date, is to go online to VoteWA.gov. The deadline to register to vote online or return a paper registration form by mail is Oct. 26. 
• To be eligible to register to vote, you must be a US citizen, a Washington State resident, and not currently incarcerated or under community custody following a felony conviction. To cast a ballot, you must also be 18 by Election Day. 

What if Your Ballot Doesn’t Arrive? 

• Ballots are mailed on Oct. 14 and voters should have their ballot in-hand by Oct. 19.
• If you didn’t receive your ballot, that’s OK. We got you covered. Get a replacement here to print one out at home.
• If you’re having trouble, give us a call at 206-296-VOTE (8683).

How to Return Your Ballot: 

• You can vote and return your ballot as soon as you receive it. Returning your ballot early allows time to correct any issues with your signature so we can count your ballot.
• There are three ways to return your ballot: 
  1. Ballot Drop Box. Drop boxes open on Oct. 15. Ballot drop boxes are a secure and convenient way for voters to return their ballot. In Issaquah, there is a drop box located at City Hall, 130 E. Sunset Way. Several drop-off parking spots are available in front of City Hall along East Sunset Way.
  2. By mail. We recommend dropping your ballot in the mail by the Friday before Election Day to make sure it gets postmarked in time to be counted. Your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day. 
  3. At a Vote Center. King County Vote Centers are there to serve those who need to get registered or update their registration after the online deadline has passed on Oct. 26. In addition, trained staff and specialized equipment can help voters with disabilities cast a private, independent ballot.
     • Due to COVID-19, we urge voters who can, to vote early by mail or drop box. If you can’t, there will be 7 Vote Center locations for you to register or vote: 
       • Bellevue: Bellevue College Gym: 3000 Landerholm Cir SE, Bellevue, WA 98007
       • Federal Way: Federal Way Performing Arts Center: 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S, Federal Way, WA 98003
       • Kenmore: Kenmore City Hall: 18120 68th Ave NE, Kenmore, WA 98028
       • Kent: Accesso ShoWare Center: 625 W James St, Kent, WA 98032
       • Renton: Elections HQ in Renton: 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057
       • Seattle: CenturyLink Field Event Center: 800 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134
       • Seattle: University of Washington Seattle Campus - Dempsey Indoor Center on the UW Campus in Seattle, Walla Walla Road, 98105

Make a Plan! Vote Early! 

• King County is expecting 90% voter turnout and almost 500,000 ballots returned to drop boxes on Election Day alone! Avoid the traffic and congestion, vote early!
• Life is busy and creating a vote plan can help make sure you get your ballot in on time. Make a vote plan today so that you know when you’ll vote, who you’ll vote for and how you’ll return your ballot. You can use the template available on our website here. 
• Voting early means that you can rest easy on Election Day know that you did your part and it means that we are able to provide a more meaningful set of initial results on Election Night.
• If you have any questions, please reach out. Give King County Elections a call at 206-296-VOTE (8683).

Original source can be found here.