Voters cast their ballots by November 5th to weigh-in on a laundry list of state ballot measures, including twelve non-binding advisory votes, municipal offices, and local ballot measures. With higher-than-expected turnout on Election Day after weeks of sluggish ballot returns, King County reached 49% turnout, surpassing the original projection of 43%.
“I continue to be impressed by and proud of our team here at King County Elections. They worked hard in the face of obstacles and heavy Election Day drop box returns to deliver meaningful and clear results by the end of the election week. Our voters showed up to make their voices heard this November and with so many tight races across the county, it was clear – as always – that every vote matters,” stated King County Director of Elections Julie Wise.
This General Election also marked the first in which voters could register to vote in-person until 8 p.m. on Election Day. In the eight-day window between the online registration deadline and Election Day, King County Vote Centers served nearly 1,800 voters and registered 481 new voters.
While most races have been decided, there are three King County races that require mandatory recounts under state law. Two of these recounts – Mercer Island City Council Pos. 1 and Redmond City Council Pos. 1 – meet the machine recount threshold of fewer than 2,000 votes AND also less than 0.50% difference between candidates. There will also be one hand recount for Bothell City Council Pos. 1, with that race separated by only 4 votes and 0.03%. The threshold for mandatory manual recounts is fewer than 150 votes AND also less than 0.25% difference between candidates. Bothell is a shared jurisdiction with Snohomish County. Both counties will perform recounts of the ballots received for their portion of the city. King County Elections is planning on holding recount activities on December 4 and 5, with certification of recount results on December 6. More information about the plans for those days will be released early next week.
