Voters cast their ballots on August 4 to weigh in on a litany of candidate races and ballot measures before them, narrowing wide fields in many races to the top two that will appear on the General election ballot this fall.

While turnout appeared to be slow for much of the voting period, voters made a last-minute surge with more than 240,000 ballots collected from drop boxes on Election Day alone. Over half of voters deposited their ballots in one of King County’s 69 – soon to be 70 – secure ballot drop boxes located across the county and KCE expects to see even more utilize this return option in the General. Turnout for the 2020 Primary ended up at 56%. In 2016, turnout in the Primary election was 37%.

With clear results in all but one race – a Precinct Committee Officer contest, which is headed for machine recount to be certified on Thursday, August 20 – King County Elections is working tirelessly to plan for what is sure to be a busy and bustling election season leading up to the November 3 General election.

“Despite a global pandemic and concerns about the state of the United States Postal Service, we here in King County continue to show the rest of the country that vote-by-mail is both an accessible and secure way to vote. The high turnout in this Primary election shows that our voters have confidence in the system and confidence that their votes will be counted and their voices heard,” stated King County Director of Elections Julie Wise. “With another election just around the corner, our team here at King County Elections will continue to work tirelessly to be a trusted resource for our voters and to ensure that our elections are secure, accurate, and accessible every step of the way.”

King County is projecting record-breaking turnout for the November General and is working to amplify key information on how register and cast a ballot, critical deadlines, and more with local partners including the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders, and CenturyLink Field.

While there continue to be growing concerns around the country about the United States Postal Service’s ability and capacity to handle an increase in vote-by-mail ballots this fall, King County Elections remains committed as ever to ensuring that every eligible voter receives their ballot in a timely manner and has ample opportunity to cast their ballot and make their voice heard. Online tools such as online ballot access that allows voters to download and print their ballot from the comfort of their home, in-person options to pick up a replacement ballot should the voter not receive or misplace theirs, and access to the 70 secure ballot drop box locations are key to this effort. Voters who have questions about any of these resources should reach out directly to King County Elections at 206-296-VOTE (8683) or elections@kingcounty.gov.

Relevant Links

• Final results & reconciliation report
• Drop box locations
• Elections website

Quotes

“Despite a global pandemic and concerns about the state of the United States Postal Service, we here in King County continue to show the rest of the country that vote-by-mail is both an accessible and secure way to vote. The high turnout in this Primary election shows that our voters have confidence in the system and confidence that their votes will be counted and their voices heard. With another election just around the corner, our team here at King County Elections will continue to work tirelessly to be a trusted resource for our voters and to ensure that our elections are secure, accurate, and accessible every step of the way.” -- King County Director of Elections Julie Wise

Media contact

Halei Watkins
206-477-4111
hawatkins@kingcounty.gov

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