Updated registration cards in the mail
King County Elections asks for voter help
King County voters this week will receive new voter registration cards in the mail. Voters are urged to carefully check their personal information to prepare for the fall election.
The King County Council increased the number of District Court electoral districts from three to five which changed some voters’ electoral districts. The District Court change does not affect everyone, however there could be polling place and precinct changes indicated on some cards.
Old registration cards should be discarded.
King County Elections sends out countywide mailings for two reasons: to keep voter records updated, and as the primary tool for informing voters about changes in their polling places or precincts. Voter help is essential in making this process work.
"The elections process is ever-changing. Addresses, names and signatures change over time," said Sherril Huff Menees, assistant director of Records, Elections and Licensing Services. "Countywide mailings give us the opportunity to receive feedback from the public and clean out our voter records before the fall election season begins."
More than 120,000 registration cards were returned last year following a countywide mailing. Cards were returned for a variety of reasons including notification of deceased voters, address and name changes and undeliverable mailing addresses.
"As a responsible voter, if you receive a postcard for someone else, write ‘addressee moved, return to sender’ and drop it in the mail. Voters need to do their part to keep King County’s voter rolls accurate," said Huff Menees.
This mailing is bilingual and provides information in Chinese and English. The county is required to provide Chinese-language ballots and election materials because its number of Chinese-speaking citizens meets a threshold established by the federal Voting Rights Act.
Tips for voters:
- Double-check your card to ensure the information is accurate. If your address or name changed, call King County Elections. Inaccurate and outdated information may delay or suspend delivery of your absentee ballot. Your voting status will become inactive if your card is returned undeliverable.
- Do your part to keep voter rolls clean. Return election mail if you are not the voter listed on the card. Simply write "addressee moved, return to sender" on the card and drop it in the mail.
- Any voter who has not received a new card by Aug. 9 should call King County Elections.
- To report the death of a family member or friend, call the King County Voter Hotline at 206-296-VOTE.
- Consider becoming a paid poll worker. To sign up, call 206-296-1606 or complete the application online at http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/pollworker/index.htm.
- For more information about the new King County District Court electoral districts, please visit http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/gis/maps/kcdisct_elecdis.pdf.
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