King County getting ready for new ballot boxes

Chetan Sharma

Chetan Sharma Jul 4, 2025

Jan 12, 2018

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                <h1>King County getting ready for new ballot boxes</h1>
                <h2><p>King County is planning the locations of 33 new permanent ballot drop boxes where voters can send ballots without paying postage. Twelve will replace existing temporary drop boxes, which are only open during limited hours near Election Day.

Most of the new ones, 24, will be at public libraries. Vashon</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/csharma-kcts9-org/">Chetan Sharma</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jan 12, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>King County <a href="http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/elections/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/2016/april/18-ballot-drop-boxes.aspx?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">is planning </a>the <a href="http://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/elections/about-us/reports/bdol-expansion-plan.ashx?la=en&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">locations</a> of 33 new permanent ballot drop boxes where voters can send ballots without paying postage. Twelve will replace existing temporary drop boxes, which are only open during limited hours near Election Day.</p><p>Most of the new ones, 24, will be at public libraries. Vashon Island and the King County portion of the Muckleshoot Reservation will each also get one of their own.</p><p>Currently, King County has just 10 permanent drop boxes. The state’s largest county has fewer permanent drop boxes that Thurston, Whatcom, Pierce, Spokane or Snohomish counties.</p><p>Newly elected County Elections Director Julie Wise <a href="http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/elections/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/2016/february/10-ballot-drop-boxes.aspx?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">secured funding</a> for the drop boxes in February. The previous Elections Director Sheryl Huff was criticized for failing to serve <a href="http://crosscut.com/2012/08/one-reason-people-dont-vote-rainier-valley-they-ca/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Southeast Seattle</a> or the <a href="http://www.dailyuw.com/news/article_94ec2d86-d6c6-11e5-b2d4-03b2798ee269.html?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">University of Washington</a>.</p><p>The county wants 29 of the drop boxes in place for the August 2 primary. The rest should there by November.</p>
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King County is planning the locations of 33 new permanent ballot drop boxes where voters can send ballots without paying postage. Twelve will replace existing temporary drop boxes, which are only open during limited hours near Election Day.

Most of the new ones, 24, will be at public libraries. Vashon Island and the King County portion of the Muckleshoot Reservation will each also get one of their own.

Currently, King County has just 10 permanent drop boxes. The state’s largest county has fewer permanent drop boxes that Thurston, Whatcom, Pierce, Spokane or Snohomish counties.

Newly elected County Elections Director Julie Wise secured funding for the drop boxes in February. The previous Elections Director Sheryl Huff was criticized for failing to serve Southeast Seattle or the University of Washington.

The county wants 29 of the drop boxes in place for the August 2 primary. The rest should there by November.

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By Chetan Sharma

Chetan is an editorial intern at Crosscut. He is a senior at the University of Washington studying Civil Engineering and Urban Planning. He's previously worked as a journalist at KUOW and an engineer