On the same day the King County Department of Elections begins sending out ballots for the August 2 Primary Election, Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn joined King County Elections Director Julie Wise in officially opening a new ballot drop box at the Fairwood Library, one of five new drop box locations in King County Council District 9.
“As the local government for the community of Fairwood, King County has a responsibility to make sure residents are able to access key services and exercise their right to vote,” said Dunn. “I am thrilled that in addition to Fairwood, the county has funded four additional drop box locations so that residents in the Renton Highlands, Maple Valley, Covington and Enumclaw will have additional options to cast their ballot.”
“There shouldn’t be any barriers to returning your ballot,” said Director of Elections Julie Wise. “This Fairwood ballot drop box and the 42 others for this year’s General Election will make it easier than ever to vote in King County.”
The Fairwood Library drop box is part of King County’s initiative to quadruple the number of drop boxes. A total of 43 boxes will be ready for this year’s General Election, 29 open for the August 2nd Primary with the Fairwood location being one of five new locations in King County Council District 9 which includes southeast King County.
Other locations include:
• Enumclaw Library- open for 2016 August 2nd Primary
• Tahoma School District Building- open for 2016 August 2nd Primary
• Covington Library- open for 2016 General Election
• Renton Highlands- installation 2017
Ballot drop boxes are a tool to improve voter access and convenience. Of the forty-three county wide chosen locations, twenty-four of them are located at public libraries. Twenty-six locations are in areas that score highest in key equity demographic characteristics. Six locations are located in unincorporated King County.
Upon completion of the new proposed drop boxes, more than 91 percent of King County residents will live within three miles of a location.
For more information about King County Elections and the new drop boxes visit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/elections.aspx
