King County considers moving most elections to even years
Clicking through the annual voter-turnout tabs on the King County Elections Department’s voting map can give you a case of civic whiplash.
In even-numbered years, a map of the county’s voting precincts blares shades of blue on the color-coded chart, as Washingtonians cast ballots for president, governor, Congress and other high-profile races. In odd-numbered years, the maps brighten to include swaths of yellow and green, showing lower turnout for the “off-year” local elections.
The differences are stark. In 2020, 85% of King County registered voters cast ballots. In 2021, only 43% of county voters participated in the election.
It’s a glaring discrepancy in a state that helped pioneer all-mail elections and has worked to remove barriers to voting through same-day registration, prepaid postage for ballots, convenient drop boxes and the creation of regional voting centers where voters can go with questions or needs.
Read more: https://crosscut.com/politics/2022/06/king-county-considers-moving-most-elections-even-years