Snohomish County switching to mail-in elections

Thursday, January 5, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Snohomish County switching to mail-in elections
By Christopher Schwarzen

Times Snohomish County Bureau

The new Democratic majority on the Snohomish County Council wasted little time in approving a switch to all-mail elections.

The council approved the measure Wednesday with a 3-2 vote along party lines. Last year's Republican-led council repeatedly voted against making the change.

Mail-only elections will begin during the Sept. 19 primary, and county election officers will be working between now and then to alert voters to changes.

Council Chairman Kirke Sievers and the council's two other Democrats, Dave Gossett and new member Dave Somers, voted to change the system. The two Republicans, Gary Nelson and John Koster, opposed the measure.

With about 352,000 registered voters, Snohomish County is the largest county in the state to adopt all-mail elections.
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002721224_election05m.html

:grr:

We want mail in for our voters, and for Dems to have to show up at the polls with 5 photo ids. :grr: again :)

as far as I'm concerned mail-in ballots leave a paper trail.

Also Washington always seems to have endless initiatives and it takes time to do the research and mark ones ballot as information is gathered.

If the news media can't get instant gratification -- tough -- wait until the votes are counted.