The election is past, but in case you're interested in reading up on what the candidates had to say about the issues YOU value: transparency, accountability, collaboration and moving things forward, here you have it.

Download our General Election Candidate Guide (pdf)

Many thanks to the volunteer team who made this guide a reality.

Questions? Would you be interested in volunteering on projects like this? Contact our Director of Civic Engagement, Ed Prince.

And in case you don't subscribe to our Weekly Email, here's a copy of our pre-election recap from 2007:

When and where do I vote?

Election Day is this Tuesday!

- If you are an absentee voter, you should have received your ballot in the mail by now. Be sure it is postmarked no later than Tuesday.

- If you vote in person, the polls are open from 7am-8pm. Find your polling place at: https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/pollingplace/voterlookup.aspx.

What's on the ballot?

- It depends on where you live. Assuming that's in King County, you can get a personalized online voters guide at:  https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/pollingplace/voterlookup.aspx.

Who are we voting for?

Once again, it depends on where you live, but in general here's the scoop:

County-wide

- King County Prosecuting Attorney - one person has this role and they represent the whole county. The person elected will complete a three-year term left vacant after the passing of Norm Maleng earlier this year.

- King County Assessor - one person has this role and they represent the whole county. According to their website, "The Assessor performs the function of an appraiser in placing a dollar value on your home or other property. The Assessor does not establish the dollar amount of taxes required nor does the Assessor bill or collect taxes." It's a four-year term.

- King County Council - there are nine Councilmembers, one of whom represents you and your geographic district. The positions come up for election on a rotating basis - there are four seats up for election this year. It's a four-year term.

- Port of Seattle Commissioner - there are five commissioners who represent the entire county. The positions come up for election on a rotating basis - there are two seats up for election this year. It's a part-time position and a four-year term.

City-wide

- Seattle City Council - there are nine Councilmembers who represent the entire city. The positions come up for election on a rotating basis - there are five seats up for election this year. It's a four-year term.

- Many other City Councils have seats up for election this year. With most smaller cities this role is a part-time position, and Councilmembers represent the entire city, rather than having a geographic district. Four-year terms are common.

- Mayors are up for election in Algona, Clyde Hill, Lake Forest Park, North Bend, Pacific, Redmond, Renton and Tukwila. 
 

School Districts

- Seattle Public School Board - there are seven Board Members who are an interesting hybrid of representing the whole school district and representing a geographic sub-district. In the primary, you only vote for a representative from your geographic area, but in the general election you vote for a candidate in each geographic area. The positions come up for election on a rotating basis - there are four seats up for election this year. It's a part-time position and a four-year term.

- Many other School Boards have seats up for election this year. Most often, these are part-time positions with four-year terms.

Fire, Water, Sewer Park and Recreation Districts

- A whole host of fire, water, sewer and other districts have commissioners up for election. This does not appear to affect people who live in Seattle.

What are we voting for?

State Measures

All quoted text is taken from http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/Measures2007.aspx

The link includes the full proposal, how it impacts current law and pro/con statements.

- Initiative Measure No 960 - concerning the ability of the legislature to increase taxes

"This measure would require two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for tax increases, legislative approval of fee increases, certain published information on tax-increasing bills, and advisory votes on taxes enacted without voter approval."

- Referendum Measure 67 - concerning insurance coverage and malpractice lawsuits

"This bill would make it unlawful for insurers to unreasonably deny certain coverage claims, and permit treble damages plus attorney fees for that and other violations."

- Engrossed Substitute Senate Joint Resolution 8206 - aka the Rainy Day Fund
"This amendment would require the legislature to transfer 1% of general state revenues to a budget stabilization account each year and prohibit expenditures from the account except as set forth in the amendment."

- Engrossed House Joint Resolution 4204 - aka Simple Majority - concerning lowering the percentage of votes required to pass a school levy from supermajority (60% of the voters from a previous election) to simple majority (50% plus one)
"This amendment would provide for approval of school district excess property tax levies by simple majority vote of participating voters, and would eliminate supermajority approval requirements based on voter turnout in previous elections."

- Senate Joint Resolution 8212 - concerning state inmate labor
"This amendment would authorize state-operated inmate labor programs and programs in which inmate labor is used by private entities through state contracts, and prohibit privately operated programs from unfairly competing with Washington businesses."
 

- Substitute House Joint Resolution 4215 - concerning investment of higher education funding
"This amendment would authorize the investment of money in higher education permanent funds as permitted by law, and would permit investment in stocks or bonds issued by any company, if authorized by law."
 

County Measures

All quoted text is taken from http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/200711/measurelist.aspx

- Sound Transit and RTID Proposition No. 1 - aka the Roads & Transit Measure

This one was so long I chopped it down a little:

Shall Sound Transit implement a regional rail and transit system linking Lynnwood, Shoreline, Northgate, Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, SeaTac airport, Kent, Federal Way and Tacoma,  financed by the existing taxes approved by the voters in 1996 and an additional sales and use tax of up to five-tenths of one percent? And shall a regional transportation investment district (RTID) be formed and authorized to implement and invest in improving the regional transportation system by replacing vulnerable bridges, improving safety, and increasing capacity on state and local roads to further link major education, employment, and retail centers, financed by a sales and use tax of one-tenth of one percent and a local motor vehicle excise tax of eight-tenths of one percent; further provided that the Sound Transit taxes shall be imposed only within the boundaries of Sound Transit, and the RTID taxes shall be imposed only within the boundaries of the RTID?

- King County Initiative 25 - concerning shifting the Director of King County Elections to an elected position

"Initiative 25 is a proposed ordinance. If approved by voters, it would place a charter amendment on the November 2008 general election ballot that would ask: “Shall the King County Charter be amended to provide that the position of county director of elections be created as a nonpartisan elected office? Should Initiative 25 be adopted so that this charter amendment will be placed before voters in November 2008?"

- King County Proposition 1 - Medic 1

"The King County Council adopted Ordinance 15861 concerning funding for the Medic One emergency medical services system. This proposition would replace an expiring levy to continue funding of Medic One emergency medical services. It would authorize King County to impose regular property tax levies of $0.30 or less per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for each of six consecutive years, with collection beginning in 2008, as provided in King County Ordinance 15861. Shall this proposition be: approved? rejected?"

City Measures

All quoted text is taken from http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/votersguide.asp

- City of Seattle Charter Amendment 17 - adding a preamble to the City Charter
"The Charter currently does not contain a preamble. A preamble is a preliminary statement setting out general principles and explaining the purpose of the Charter, and can guide the interpretation of the Charter. The preamble would state that the Charter’s purpose is to protect and improve the health, safety, environment and general welfare of the people; enable City government to provide services and meet the people’s needs efficiently; allow equal and fair participation of all persons in City government; provide for an open, accountable, and ethical government and civil service; foster financial responsibility; promote prosperity; and meet the needs of a healthy, growing City. "
 
- City of Seattle Charter Amendment 18 - changing the City Charter provision concerning the Mayor’s annual messages to the City Council

"Article V, Section 6 of the Charter currently requires the Mayor to deliver a message to the City Council at the third Council meeting in June. In this message, the Mayor is to describe the condition of the City, and make any recommendations the Mayor believes are proper. This is commonly known as the Mayor’s State-of-the-City message. The Charter also allows the Mayor to deliver special messages to the Council at any time, as the Mayor sees fit. The Charter would be amended to require the Mayor to deliver two messages to the Council each year. The State-of-the-City message would still be required, but would be delivered in February rather than June. A second message would be required when the Mayor presented his or her proposed budget. In this message, the Mayor would deliver his or her recommendation for the adoption of the budget. The Mayor would still be allowed to deliver special messages to the Council at any time, as the Mayor saw fit."
 

- There are a handful of other City measures depending on where you live

Where can I get more info?

First, check out our Candidate Guide, which has been refreshed to reflect the results of the primary election. It's got profiles on the people running in the Seattle School Board and Seattle City Council Races, plus the King County Council. Voters rock. View our Candidate Guide

- King County Video Voters Guide: http://www.metrokc.gov/kctv/VVG/

- Municipal League of King County: http://www.munileague.org/

- League of Women Voters: http://www.seattlelwv.org/

- Seattle Times Coverage: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/

- Seattle PI Coverage: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/politics/

- Crosscut Coverage: http://crosscut.com/civics/

- The Stranger Coverage: www.thestranger.com/