King County Elections, seeing a low voter turnout so far, wants to remind voters to turn in their ballots for the Feb. 14 special election.
On Wednesday Kim van Ekstrom, a spokesperson for King County Elections, said the county has received about 9,000 fewer ballots than it expected by then. The county has projected a 38 percent voter turnout for this election.
Though return numbers for Vashon aren’t available yet, Van Ekstrom said across the county turnout is slightly low. In addition, about twice as many voters than normal are forgetting to sign the outside of the ballot envelopes.
“People sometimes forget, especially with a smaller ballots,” Van Ekstrom said, “Maybe they’re rushing and forgetting to do it.”
Election officials will attempt to contact everyone who forgets to sign their ballot or whose signatures don’t match the signatures on file.
On the ballot for Vashon voters is the renewal of Vashon Island School District’s Technology and Capital Projects Levy, which would collect $3.6 million from property owners over the next four years. Voters in Auburn, Federal Way, Renton and Tukwila are also voting on school bonds and levies.
Ballots must be postmarked by Feb. 14. To request a replacement ballot, see www.kingcounty.gov/elections.